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Ashes of Devotion [ATLA - Azula x OC]
- Thread starter Lucernello
- Start date
NightmareWarden
Playtest Results: *happy chirping*
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I've caught up!
I feel bad for Zuko. He lost so, so much time with his initial recovery and the first year of his search for the Avatar. So much time he could have observed the new equipment in action or the lack of honor in war. The industrialization of the fire nation in this timeline WOULD be absurd, if not for what we know of the drill project and Azula's canon train contraption.
I wish we got a larger focus on the risks of some technologies. Firebending is stronger (and PROBABLY more responsive) during the daytime under the sun. So gliding could be exhausting or dangerous at night. Soldiers aren't deafening themselves with explosives or otherwise having trouble adapting to guns. The tanks result in non-benders' gloves burning in certain circumstances.
It's a bit weird that the mechanist wasn't kidnapped in the modern era. I get that he helped with Lin's prosthetics, but in the last few years? It seems like extending the eastern corner of the warfront on the continent towards the eastern air temple, or simply stealing him from their community, would be quite attractive. Maybe Lin's family used some connections to honor a deal with him, make his protections/independence somewhat substantial? Hmm.
We got a spirit, woo! Two spirits, actually. I don't think Agni's plan here is nefarious, but I reckon there WILL be moderate consequences when he calls in that favor.
Lastly: Ba Sing Se. This could be a big arc. It could be a good time for a party or two to infiltrate the city, experience part of the world, disguised, for some time. Live for weeks free of Lin's dangerous charisma and high expectations. Or maybe not! So far, Lin has managed to solve problems rather than bury seeds for future problems. Ba Sing Se could break that streak.
I feel bad for Zuko. He lost so, so much time with his initial recovery and the first year of his search for the Avatar. So much time he could have observed the new equipment in action or the lack of honor in war. The industrialization of the fire nation in this timeline WOULD be absurd, if not for what we know of the drill project and Azula's canon train contraption.
I wish we got a larger focus on the risks of some technologies. Firebending is stronger (and PROBABLY more responsive) during the daytime under the sun. So gliding could be exhausting or dangerous at night. Soldiers aren't deafening themselves with explosives or otherwise having trouble adapting to guns. The tanks result in non-benders' gloves burning in certain circumstances.
It's a bit weird that the mechanist wasn't kidnapped in the modern era. I get that he helped with Lin's prosthetics, but in the last few years? It seems like extending the eastern corner of the warfront on the continent towards the eastern air temple, or simply stealing him from their community, would be quite attractive. Maybe Lin's family used some connections to honor a deal with him, make his protections/independence somewhat substantial? Hmm.
We got a spirit, woo! Two spirits, actually. I don't think Agni's plan here is nefarious, but I reckon there WILL be moderate consequences when he calls in that favor.
Lastly: Ba Sing Se. This could be a big arc. It could be a good time for a party or two to infiltrate the city, experience part of the world, disguised, for some time. Live for weeks free of Lin's dangerous charisma and high expectations. Or maybe not! So far, Lin has managed to solve problems rather than bury seeds for future problems. Ba Sing Se could break that streak.
Lucernello
This world has too many villains.
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Zuko will... keep losing sadly. My story is not long enough for him to grow like in the show. The drill is totally absurd in my opinion, haha. It had like an extended command center kind of thing that almost made it look like a mecha for a second. It was so weird.
I've had many things removed from my chapters, mainly because I feel we are going too slow. You are right that more could be expanded, and your points are really good, but if I go into details on most of the realistic aspects we can encounter in what new technologies there are, it will either have very long chapters or chapters where nothing really happens, besides it will take me longer to update.
Regarding what you said, firebending is weaker at night, but I don't think it would be to the point of exhaustion and dangerous for gliders. They are adapted to land almost anywhere, in this era there is so much open space that it wouldn't really be a big issue, and the crew could rotate the firebender while it is in the air. Also, that the Fire Nation attacked Agna Qel'a at night and was still somewhat successful, even with Zhao doing weird things, means it is not that big of a deal. Soldiers did deafened themselves with artillery, kind of like in World War I, they would slowly lose their hearing gradually. That said, they haven't been used that much aside from Shen Guan, so it will be in Ba Sing Se where you will see more of that issue. I think before their gloves burning, soldiers would be concussed as it was not made to hold a cannon originally, the sound and recoil would cause issues for them. Their armor and most of their clothes are already quite fire-resistant.
The mechanist definitely saved Lin's life and is enjoying retirement paid by the Renshi family. He resides at the northern air temple not the eastern, and it's in a territory controlled by the Fire Nation already, no fighting there at the moment. It will make an appearence in the last stage of Aang's trip to the northern water tribe, we will see more of his life there.
I think I'm proud of my plans for Ba Sing Se. I hope you like it.
I'm glad you enjoyed it so far.
Last edited:
Chapter 39 - Shattering Expectations
New
Lucernello
This world has too many villains.
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AN: Hello, two chapters time! Chapter 1 of 2 today. I hope you are having a great Friday. I leave you a small chibi art made by Aurora again.
Have a great weekend,
Luce
Have a great weekend,
Luce
99 A.G
'...What?'
'WHAT?!'
Lin stared at Azula, unable to produce even the simplest response. Her heart struck harder against her ribs, heat spread through her chest and she could feel the tightness gathering in her throat.
Her fingers remained rigid at her sides while her breathing became shallow. A faint pressure built behind her ears as her pulse quickened, leaving Azula's face the only thing she could properly focus on.
For several seconds, she could only stand there beneath Azula's gaze, stunned. She knew that there was a possibility that Azula had feelings for her, but Lin never expected that the princess would want to take it that far. A relationship between them made public to all.
Not only did she not seem bothered by both of them being women, but also about the repercussions she would face after such a public union. Azula looked confident that such a thing wouldn't be a problem.
Moreover it wasn't a proposition made for a political reason. There was no advantage gained in their union, her family was already loyal and supportive of the royal family, regardless if she was made consort or not.
"Princess…" Lin began, but quickly had to correct herself as Azula narrowed her eyes and glared at her. "Sorry, Azula. Can you… can you explain why you would want that?"
"It's fairly obvious there is no better match to lead our people. You have been giving us victory after victory. You want to continue improving our civilization, you are even bettering the situation for everyone, I've seen it. There would be no one stronger than us together, no one would be able to come close to us." she said, determined.
"Are you not concerned that such a union would be illegal?" Lin asked.
"I'm not. Fire Lord Sozin made it illegal, so I can make it legal again. With the war being over by then, there is no need for that edict. I understand it was important for manpower, but it won't be needed forever, and our people would support my stance against it."
Lin was left speechless once again. 'A royal family member, someone who has obviously been trained from a very young age doesn't care about it. Is it not as much of a problem as I thought it to be?'
"Are you opposed to it?" Azula asked.
'Can I even reject it?' she thought. Overall, it was a great opportunity for her goals of changing the form of government in the Fire Nation without having to turn to violence and a coup to take over. Azula was also a dear friend and Lin enjoyed her presence.
She could admit Azula was getting attractive as she grew up, and Fire Lord Ozai had many years still left to live, so the princess becoming Fire Lord was years ahead, then the age gap wouldn't really matter anymore.
Lin also felt that they could bond over many things to make the relationship work, she valued Azula's drive, passion and intelligence. Once the war was over she could keep teaching and guiding her to make a life outside war and conflict.
Lin's power-grabbing and prestige-focused family would love the union. They could care less about genders as long as they got more renown for their family and they would support anything that would push them further to the top of the nation.
The only problem was that she was unsure the nation would support their union and rule. After three consecutive dictators, Lin was worried that the population would reject something like that.
"Not entirely, Azula… I just worry about the problems that may come to pass. You are to rule our nation, I'm afraid that being your consort would bring trouble your way."
"I'm sure some may voice their incorrect and insignificant opinions, but they would be muffled by the cries of those that cherish our victories. I have no doubts we will return in glory to the Fire Isles, and no one would oppose us. Besides, I already have plans underway to boost nobles and high-ranking military officers with conservative views, while quietly removing those who oppose them."
It was so confusing for Lin how in this backwards world, supporting homosexuality was considered conservative. That Princess Azula had already a plan to not only legalize, but to favor those who would support her, was good. Lin was still unsure what to do.
"I can even pardon Zuko and have him secure an heir for the throne. Royal blood would still be able to continue through him and we can prepare them for when we are gone."
"I see… you have thought it over a lot already." Lin remarked, thoughtful.
"Of course. I'm confident it can be done." Azula said. "I've also realized I care for you. I cherish the moments when you are proud of my accomplishments. I miss you when we are apart. They cannot be clearer signs."
"I… I admit I appreciate and care for you as well." Lin replied, flustered.
"There is no one better for you than me. Don't worry about our people, we'll handle it just fine." Azula said.
Now, having to think about a possible relationship, she was self-conscious about her prosthetics. Azula had seen her at the beach so the nasty scars had been visible to her. Maybe she wasn't counting on their relationship being physical at all and had no issues with her appearance. Still, it was best to ask.
"And… Do you find me attractive?" Lin asked.
"Lin, I spent years studying you for weaknesses. If your appearance were one of them, I would have used it against you already." she replied.
"Right… Well… you are attractive-"
"Obviously."
"-as well. We can go into greater details later on. I can help with whatever plans you have for the future." Lin said.
"I knew you would see it my way." Azula, smirked.
"I assume you don't want to make it public until you are Fire Lord, so for now, nothing would change for us, right?" Lin said, confirming that indeed it would be years before anything happened.
"For now, yes, although… in private, things could change." Azula said, slowly.
"H-How so?" Asked Lin, not liking where that was going.
"Well…I admit I lack experience, but I've come to know that there are things to explore between each other that can be done before any marriage arrangement." Azula said.
"You have come to know…?"
"Yes. Kaida gave me a few tips and suggested a few things I could do to get close to someone I like and I'm curious to try them."
'Betrayal.'
"I don't know if that is the best idea, Azula." Lin said, feeling heat on her cheeks again.
"Oh so you do know about them as well." Azula commented, then closed the distance between them, which wasn't much to begin with, both sitting in the same bunk already. She then caught Lin by surprise, placing a kiss on her lips.
Lin froze the moment their lips touched. Her eyes remained open, fixed on Azula's face while her mind failed to decide what she was supposed to do. Heat spread quickly across her cheeks and down her neck, and her heart began beating hard enough that she could feel it through her chest.
She had expected Azula to suggest something embarrassing, perhaps holding hands or attempting another awkward compliment, but the kiss left her completely unprepared. Her fingers tightened against the edge of the bunk while Azula remained close, giving her nowhere else to direct her attention.
The contact was brief and uncertain, yet Lin still felt the warmth of it after Azula pulled back. She drew in a slow breath. Lin could think of nothing useful to say. She shouldn't have allowed Azula to do that.
"Together we will be the strongest couple in the entire world. We will dominate the earth!" she said, igniting blue flames in each hand.
Lin couldn't help herself and laughed. She laughed about the absurdity of it all, she laughed because it was awkward and silly, having her first kiss with a teenager as if her life had restarted and she wasn't the older woman she felt herself to be. It was better than feeling guilty about it.
She laughed at how the princess was affected by their kiss, being all euphoric and saying something silly. Azula laughed with her as well, although it was more of a wicked and awkward laugh.
"Alright, Azula. We will." Lin finally said. "For now though, I'm hungry, let's go find Toph and have someone bring food for us."
'I need time to think.'
"Fine." Azula said. "But we are exploring more of that later, Kaida had more suggestions after all."
'I will strangle her.' she thought, facepalming.
Azula felt pleased with how everything had gone. Telling Lin that she wanted her as her consort had not been the plan when she entered her carriage. She had intended to ask about Lin's plans, and spend some time together, nothing stressful.
Yet, the words had left her mouth without hesitation. She didn't expect Lin to ask at that time, but she felt confident that if she was asking her directly, then that meant that she had already considered it, like Azula did. The princess was never really concerned, she knew that the proposition was the best one Lin could get.
The result had been more than satisfactory, and she even wondered why she had even waited to voice her proposition. Lin didn't refuse her, even though she did raise concerns. However, Azula expected her to, and was confident every problem could be solved.
The law could be changed, the nobles could be managed, and Zuko could secure the continuation of the royal bloodline. None of those matters worried her. What mattered was that Lin had agreed to consider their future together and had even admitted that she found Azula attractive.
Obviously, Azula had already known that last part, but hearing Lin say it had still been pleasant. It felt like those small moments when Azula was praised by her. It made her feel content and her inner fire felt warmer and stronger than before.
She was less certain what to think about the kiss. Kaida had spoken about kissing with great importance, describing it as something exciting and intimate that could leave a person unable to think properly.
Azula had expected something more impressive. Their lips had touched for a few seconds, and that had been all. She had experienced greater physical closeness while grappling during training, particularly when Lin pinned her to the floor and corrected the position of her arms or legs.
Compared to the close combat training, a kiss required considerably less skill and there was not much contact to begin with. Still, Lin's reaction had made the attempt worthwhile. Her eyes had widened, her face had reddened, and she had been unable to speak for a few seconds.
The kiss had clearly affected Lin for she had started laughing soon after. Perhaps the value was found in the surprise, and how others view what a kiss meant. If that was the case, the rest of Kaida's suggestions might prove equally useful.
Azula would have to examine them carefully and decide which ones were appropriate. She had no intention of making herself look foolish simply because Kaida believed couples were supposed to behave in certain ways.
The three of them had eaten together afterward. Toph sat with one hand pressed against the floor, her brow furrowed.
"This train is too fast for my feet." she complained. "The whole ground keeps vibrating. I can feel the tracks, the wheels, and every carriage behind us, but they all blur together. Half the time I can't tell where the actual floor is."
"Well, I haven't seen you fall anywhere." Lin pointed out. "How have you managed to move without issues?"
"Because I'm great at everything."
"You walked into the table earlier." Azula commented.
"Well… not everything."
Azula glanced at Lin and noticed that she still avoided looking at her for more than a few seconds. It reminded her of the way Zuko used to react whenever she mentioned Mai. She had never expected Lin to become so easy to embarrass, and she found it amusing.
Their conversation remained on inconsequential subjects through the trip.
"How have your lessons progressed?" Lin asked Toph.
"I'm still learning to write, even if reading isn't a problem anymore." Toph replied, sounding less enthusiastic. "It's slow, and everything has to be pressed correctly into the paper, I get impatient and mess up."
"I see, what else?" Lin asked.
"Well, music is better. Some of the soldiers have several instruments and a few of them are teaching me how to play."
"Which instruments?"
"I like the pipa, the strings vibrate in a nice way against my fingers and it is easy to find where to place my fingers. I also like the drums, it's fun."
"I enjoy playing the Erhu or a Liuqin." Azula commented.
Toph grinned. "We can start a band then, what do you play, Lin?" she said, jokingly.
"I sadly break any instrument that I would want to play with my prosthetics." Lin said.
Toph laughed. "Well you could sing if you don't like the drums."
"Well, I suppose I could."
Azula took another bite before turning the conversation toward something more useful.
"The new armor is not as comfortable to wear I hear." she said. "Several people have already complained about it."
"The layered fabric armor?" Lin asked.
"Silk and linen beneath the metal plates, yes." Azula confirmed. "The Ministry claims the layers can catch and stop fragments from the bullets of our handguns."
Toph pouted. "How come I didn't get one yet?"
"Well, they are mostly testing them and as everyone says, they are not very comfortable. A royal version would have to be made for me and Lin as she is a general now, so I assume those take longer to make. You would obviously get one of those as well." Azula replied.
Lin considered it. "It is true that a set of different cloth pieces could stop a bullet, especially after the initial hit against the metal would have caused the bullet to fragment. A rifle bullet would still go through most of it."
"I'm sure the army will come up with a new development soon." Azula said. "Your weapons have made them nervous, Lin." she chuckled.
"Even if the Earth Kingdom captured one, they would have difficulty using it for long. They would still need ammunition, replacement parts and understanding of how it works. I don't see them being a real problem yet." Lin said.
"They could study the mechanism." Azula said.
"They could, yes." Lin agreed. "That doesn't mean they could reproduce it. They don't have our industries to reproduce the parts and they still haven't managed to reproduce blasting jelly. I don't expect them to make a breakthrough anytime soon. The armor is mostly meant to reassure the soldiers."
"I guess so. Still it might come in handy in case some of our guns do end up in their hands." Azula replied.
"Of course, I'm not against it, I just think they are a bit expensive when the enemy doesn't have guns to begin with." Lin reasoned.
"I hope they make something cool for me." Toph added.
"I can request something from my family for you if that was something you really wanted, Toph." Lin said.
"Really? Awesome!"
Nothing was said about what had happened in the bunk, and Toph appeared unaware of any change between them, which was preferable for now. The small girl would be insufferable in her teasing. Even if she was indeed correct all this time.
The train continued northeast, and they would reach the Serpent's Pass within a week. Toph was correct that the train was going quite fast, it was a marvel of engineering. Her nation was really creating innovation after innovation.
After reaching the narrow pass, the engineers needed to construct a bridge strong enough to carry the locomotive, artillery, and supply wagons across the water. Once they passed that point, progress would slow further, as they had to construct new tracks ahead of the convoy.
So overall, they had some time before reaching Ba Sing Se. Time she intended to use to craft her plans. While Lin and Toph continued talking, she returned her attention to the problem of her father.
Removing Ozai from the palace would require more than just getting rid of him. The royal guard, the ministers, and the senior officers stationed in the capital would all need to accept the transfer of power before anyone loyal to him could organize a counter-coup.
Her ancestors had solved similar disputes through poison. Other successions had ended in civil war, with rival members of the royal family gathering armies and burning entire provinces before one side finally surrendered.
Azula preferred to avoid both outcomes. Poison would be effective, but it would leave too many questions and her rule would be seen as weak. Not to mention losing the leader of your nation while at war would be disastrous for morale.
Not that she really cared for them but she had seen how morale changed how hard the army fought after Lin's speeches. It was something to have in mind. Civil war on the other hand, would damage the nation at the exact moment it needed to consolidate its victories.
She wanted her father removed cleanly, with the palace and the military under her control before he understood what was happening. There had to be a way. She wouldn't rest until she found it.
The guards at the entrance to the mining village barely questioned them. They looked over Appa, asked where they had traveled from, and allowed them through after Katara said they were from the Southern Water Tribe and showed Lin's scroll.
"I hate how that damn scroll helps us so much." Sokka said once they were inside.
"They were pale when they saw it this time, I think she is feared here. Look, everyone is staying clear of us." Aang replied.
Around them the soldiers and guards stationed there indeed were avoiding them like the plague, their gazes didn't stop on them for more than a second. He was amazed at how many there were for such a small town.
The village was busy despite that. Earthbenders guided carts filled with coal along the streets, keeping them raised above the ground using their skills. Workers entered and left the mines while a few merchants attended small stalls near the houses.
The soldiers watched over everything, but Aang did not see them interfering with the villagers. Some even spoke casually with the workers, and the atmosphere looked calm instead of the oppressive feeling Omashu had.
As they walked around, Aang bought a hat so that he didn't have to use the winter coat anymore to hide his tattoos. Near the outskirts of town, they found a crowd gathered around two young men. One wore Fire Nation armor, while the other stood in plain Earth Kingdom clothes with his hands raised.
The firebender attacked first, sending a controlled flame toward the earthbender's side. The boy blocked it with a low wall and pushed a stone beneath the soldier's feet. The soldier jumped away before it could knock him over and answered with another burst of fire.
"Oh, a fight." Katara said.
Neither of them aimed directly at the other. Their attacks stopped short or gave enough time to move away, and the people around them cheered when they did score a small hit on one another.
Aang watched with interest. This was the second time they had heard of a young earthbender training with Fire Nation soldiers. He had always imagined the two groups meeting through battle, yet here they were, sparring.
The earthbender finally raised a block of stone below one of the soldier's legs and pushed him backward, then raised a slab that hit him on the side and threw him to the ground. Before the firebender could stand, a big rock stopped above him.
The soldier raised his hands. "Fine, kid. You win."
The earthbender grinned, moved the rock away and helped him up.
Aang approached once the crowd began to leave. "That was great! You messed with his footing as he was about to throw a fireball, awesome timing."
"He keeps falling for that." the boy said simply.
"Yeah, yeah, don't get cocky now, you only have one win over me. See you later." the soldier replied before returning to his post.
"I'm Aang. These are Katara and Sokka."
"My name is Haru, nice to meet you." the earthbender answered.
When they explained that they had traveled from the Southern Water Tribe and that they were heading north to find a waterbender master, Haru offered to show them around. He led them past the workers' homes and toward the larger mine entrances.
Katara looked at another group of earthbenders moving coal. "There are so many earthbenders here…Why aren't you fighting the Fire Nation to free yourselves?"
Haru looked at them worried then glanced around in panic, only to be relieved that no one was around.
"We don't have much choice. Maybe we can gain control of our town and defeat the garrison here, but we're a small village, and there aren't enough earthbenders here to fight an army when they inevitably come to retake it. They control most of the western continent now, from the north to the southern coast. Even if we left they would capture us before reaching anywhere important."
"So you do nothing?" Katara asked, angry. "You could fight back!"
"Funny. My father used to be very courageous like that. When the Fire Nation invaded, he and the other earthbenders were outnumbered ten to one, but they fought back anyway."
"He sounds like a great man." Sokka said.
"After the attack, they rounded up my father and every other earthbender and took them away. For almost a year we never saw them again."
"But there are a lot of earthbenders here now…" Aang commented.
"Yes…Around two years ago a terrifying girl with metal limbs came here and changed everything." Haru replied.
"Lin." Sokka said.
Haru looked at him. "You know her?"
"We've met her, yes. She is scary." Katara answered and Haru nodded.
"The previous overseer was overworking the elders, stealing money from us and punishing anyone who complained. When she arrived with her army, they had to work in the mines to get coal for there were no earthbenders here to help them." Haru continued. "When they were about to leave, she saw the overseer attempt to threaten my mother for money. I was so angry back then, and I tried to have him back away, but two others held me back. For some reason this girl intervened, which led to a fight, she killed him by burning him to ashes. I was not there to see it, but the ones who were, still have nightmares to this day."
"She killed her own people?" Sokka asked, horrified.
"Yes. She then replaced the garrison overseer with someone of her own people and brought our earthbenders back. We still have to mine coal for them, but they pay the workers and let us use earthbending openly. We've also managed to ask for a few more things here and there."
"So everyone decided to cooperate?" Aang asked.
"Once they came back, they decided it was better than being killed in the middle of the sea." Haru said. "I don't agree with it, but my father lost his drive to fight, and everyone else follows his lead. He says we just have to wait the war out, to survive, that it won't be long now until the Fire Nation wins it all."
"How can he say that? He sounds like he already gave up." Katara said.
"He has, which is why we have grown distant to one another… anyway, I need to get back to my home. If you need a place to stay I can ask my mother, we may be able to offer you our barn to stay the night."
"Thank you, Haru, we don't know if we will stay yet but if we do we will stop by." Aang said.
As Haru went back home, Aang looked back at the village. It was clear that everyone was tired of fighting. The war was coming to a close, and people were already treating each other better and working toward being peaceful or at least civil with one another, even in occupation.
"How can they just choose not to fight?" Katara asked, disappointed.
"I think it's better if everyone looks for peace." Aang said.
"If the Fire Nation wanted peace they would leave them alone and go away." Katara said.
"Yeah, they are still in control of the village. They should go back to their isles." Sokka agreed.
Aang didn't know what to think.
"Anyway guys, what do you think about spending the night here?" he asked.
"We still don't know why there were so many flying machines heading north or where they went, so I think we should stay and leave on Appa in the morning where we can see clearly if we can fly or not. If they discover that he is a flying bison they will surely grow suspicious. I worry that if they find out that you are the Avatar, there will be many fireballs coming our way." Sokka said.
"Alright, but you will have to help me make sure Appa doesn't eat all of their hay." Aang said, smiling.
"We are about to get moving again, Aiku. Is everything ready to depart?" Zhou said, as he approached the captain.
"Yep, I'm just wondering if I will have to carry the captain here back to her quarters so that we don't leave her behind." Aiku said, pointing down to the ground where Kaida laid face down.
"Oh?"
"Ugh…I am officially hurting in places I didn't even know existed." Kaida whined.
"What did you do for Lin to punish you with intense training anyway?" Aiku asked.
"I don't know!" she cried, and whimpered when she tried to look up.
"Come on, I'll help you. Let's carry her back." Zhou said, simply. Sometimes, it was better not to know.
Chapter 40 - Yes, Rico. Kaboom
New
Lucernello
This world has too many villains.
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AN: Chapter 2 of 2 uploaded today.
99 A.G
It had taken another two weeks for the railway guns to reach firing range of Ba Sing Se's outer wall. The engineers had finished reinforcing the tracks that morning, and the crews were already positioning the guns where they were needed.
Lin stood at the head of the table inside her command tent. The senior officers of the Fourth Army had gathered around it, joined by Major General Shinu of the Second Army, Azula and Toph. A large map of the surrounding terrain covered most of the table, with markers showing the wall, the railway line and the positions their scouts had identified.
"We begin the advance tomorrow morning." Lin said. "The Fourth Army will move toward the wall until our field artillery is within range. The railway crews, engineers and the Second Army will remain here."
General Shinu looked down at the marked positions. "My entire army is staying in reserve?"
"Yes. I expect the enemy to send a force against us once the bombardment begins. They will likely test our lines before committing more soldiers. The Fourth Army will meet that attack while your men protect the railway and prepare to reinforce any section that requires it."
Lin moved several markers forward through the map for them to visualize.
"We will attack three different sections of the wall, that means we will be dividing our forces. The tanks, infantry and firebenders will form the main line of each group. The two rifle companies will remain behind them and engage first using their range advantage. Colonel Mongke and his rhinos will remain closely watching over our flanks until the wall is breached, and they can move ahead of everyone else."
"The field artillery assigned to each group will stay as the army advances and will begin firing once they are close enough. Their main target will be the wall, although they may support the front line if the Earth Kingdom sends a large force against us."
Azula studied the map. "Why aren't we dropping troops from the gliders behind the wall?"
"Or better yet, why don't you just land people on top of the wall?" Toph commented.
"Because every gun we have will be firing toward it, fighting in that condition would be extremely dangerous." Lin said. "Landing troops inside the walls would also place our soldiers behind enemy lines with no support. The Earth Kingdom has enough men to surround them before we can breach the walls and reinforce them."
"So no jumping onto the wall." Azula said.
"No."
"That probably would have been annoying anyway."
"We will use the gliders, and they will launch at the same time as the advance. Their first task is reconnaissance, but they will also observe the impacts from the railway guns and report any corrections, flying in between the wall and the artillery units. The gliders will confirm where each shell lands, return to signal the corrections, and then fly back toward the wall and so on."
One of the officers frowned. "Would it not be better to wait until the rest of the army is in position before revealing the guns?"
"The enemy already knows we are here." Lin replied. "Several of their scouts have been killed near the railway. They know we brought heavy weapons, even if they do not know their exact range. We gain nothing by delaying the first shots."
She pointed at three marked sections near the base of the wall.
"The guns will fire at these positions. Once the aim is correct, the bombardment will continue until the wall collapses or the ammunition is exhausted."
Lin turned toward the latest report resting beside the map.
"Our estimates place the defending force at approximately five hundred thousand soldiers."
Several officers reacted at once, and Lin raised a hand to quiet them.
"That is more than six times our total strength." General Shinu said.
"Correct." Lin replied. "Ba Sing Se has a population of approximately four million by our calculations, taking into account the refugee situation. Around twelve percent of that population is already serving in some military capacity, and more could be raised after we enter the city."
"Then breaching the wall may be the least of our problems…" Captain Aiku said.
"It will be." Lin agreed. "The wall itself does not concern me. General Sung commands the defense, and every report describes him as an officer promoted through nepotism. He has more soldiers than he knows how to coordinate. If we open several breaches before he can reorganize them, his numbers will make communication harder."
Captain Kaida smiled slightly. "Too many men trying to respond to too many orders."
"Yes. We need to enter before he establishes a proper defense behind the wall."
Lin reached for another marker and placed it beside the railway line.
"Toph, you will remain with the trains."
Toph crossed her arms. "Why do I have to stay all the way back here?"
"Because the railway guns will become their main target once they understand they cannot defeat our forces directly. They may attempt to tunnel beneath the tracks or the artillery positions."
Toph considered that for a moment. "I'll feel them before they get close."
"That is what I am depending on. You have permission to pull them out of the ground and capture them if possible. If they threaten the guns or the engineers, you may use whatever force is necessary."
"Fine. I can do that."
General Shinu continued examining the distances marked on the map.
"How long do you expect my army to remain here before the wall is breached?"
"Between eighteen and twenty-four hours."
"What?!" Shinu shouted. "You can't be serious, General. That wall has resisted attacks for centuries. Even the Dragon of the West failed to enter the city after a siege lasting six-hundred days. You cannot expect it to fall in one."
"I expect all three sections to fall within a day, actually." she said.
Several of the officers looked at her with disbelief, only Azula looked reassured.
"The twelve railway guns are being divided into three batteries of four. Each battery will fire at one of the marked positions. We have more than a hundred and thirty field artillery pieces, some will remain on reserve while the rest will be divided among the same targets. We will have thirty-eight artillery pieces for each group and save the rest in case we need support."
She placed her finger against the lowest section of the wall.
"The guns are powerful enough, we just have to aim low. The railway shells carry enough explosives to reduce the stone around the impact to dust. Earthbenders cannot repair the damage if there are no large pieces left for them to move."
"I expect that once we have made a big enough hole around fifteen meters deep, the weight above it will cause the section to collapse and create a slope. We will continue firing until that collapses which would be fairly soon at that point."
One of the artillery commanders studied the figures written beside each battery. "Four railway guns can fire thirty-two shells into each target every hour."
"Indeed. The supporting artillery can add more than a thousand smaller shells per hour across the three positions without forcing the crews to overheat the barrels. The defenders will not be able to approach the damaged sections long enough to repair them even if they did bring more rock to the wall."
"I would even say with those numbers the wall would be destroyed sooner." Azula asked.
"Yes, but we have to take into consideration that visibility to adjust the aim as we continue to fire might be a challenge." Lin replied. "Every impact will throw dust and broken stone into the air. The glider scouts may have difficulty confirming whether the shells are still striking the correct point. Even with the new light signals, communication will take time. They must fly close enough to observe the wall, signal their report and return to a position where the artillery crews can see them."
The system was definitely faster than what they had so far, but it still depended on the scouts being able to see through the dust and reproduce the correct signals while controlling their gliders. Lin hoped the telegraph, or even better, a radio, would be invented fairly soon.
General Shinu looked toward the rear of the tent, in the direction of the railway guns outside.
"You are certain they can bring down something that large?"
"We tested the same shells against a mountain, General." Lin said. "The section we targeted collapsed entirely. I am confident the firepower is more than enough. It will fall within a day."
The officers were quieter now. Some remained doubtful, although none offered another objection. Lin moved three groups of markers through the planned breaches.
"Once all three sections are open, the Fourth Army will assault immediately. First the Rhinos would storm the front and middle section. The rubble would make it difficult for our tanks to advance, but Rhinos would climb the debris without issues. The rest of each group will follow. Each force will secure its entrance and then move inward. The center will advance directly while both flanks turn toward one another and begin a pincer movement."
"You intend to isolate the defenders between the breaches." Azula said.
"Yes. General Sung will have to decide which opening to reinforce while receiving reports from all three. We will give him no time to mount a strong enough defense to keep us out. Once we secure a frontline inside, the second army will move in to push through and give my soldiers a moment to prepare defenses and rest after the initial battle."
Shinu nodded. "Sounds good. I brought the Yuyan archers with me, I believe they would hold a similar position to your two companies of rifles."
"That's good, yes." Lin said. Everyone understood the plan now, it was time to storm the walls.
"Review your assignments with your officers tonight. The first railway gun will fire at sunrise. It's time to teach Ba Sing Se that they are not invincible."
The operation began with the rising sun. Lin advanced at the head of the lead battalion with Azula beside her. Behind them, the Fourth Army moved in three large groups toward the sections of the wall assigned to them.
Tanks led the central formation, followed by columns of infantry and firebenders, while the rhino cavalry remained along the flanks. Only Colonel Mongke was riding beside them, just in case they needed to change their plans.
The railway guns had been firing for more than an hour already. Their detonations could be heard across the ground at regular intervals, louder and deeper than the field artillery following behind the army.
Lin felt each discharge through the ground, followed a minute later by the distant impact against Ba Sing Se's wall. The sound was the same as she remembered from her own world and memories flooded her mind.
During her deployment, there had rarely been a time when artillery, mortars or bombs could not be heard. Sometimes distant, sometimes closer than anyone would want. Even when her unit was away from the front, the noise had continued through the day and into the night.
She had learned to sleep through it then, but now she couldn't help but shake a little bit. It was a bit embarrassing but she did her best to stay in control, calmed and collected. They had left their field artillery to prepare for their barrage as well now that they were within range and they had kept advancing at a steady pace.
The wall was clearly visible now. Movement had appeared along the wall now that they were close enough, though the growing dust cloud made it difficult to see what the defenders were doing.
The lower half of the structure had already disappeared behind a fog of dirt and dust thrown into the air by the bombardment. Only the top remained clearly visible. Lin took her telescope and observed them.
Earthbenders stood along the battlements, launching rocks high into the sky toward the gliders circling above them. Most of the projectiles fell short, while a few of them passed close enough to force the pilots to turn sharply away.
Taking a look at the gliders, one of them was heading back toward them. She pointed the telescope its way and decoded the message they were sending below them with a light lamp.
"It seems they have spotted enemy forces one kilometer ahead of us." Lin said.
Lin looked across the plain. She could see no formations between them and the wall.
"They are entrenched, otherwise we would be able to see them." Azula narrowed her eyes toward the ground ahead.
"Yes, they are probably waiting to ambush us."
"We could deal with them easily."
"Yes, but we are not sure how many there are. Let's flush them out."
Lin approached the closest tank and climbed onto its upper hull. She opened the small top hatch and lowered herself until her legs rested inside, leaving her upper body above the armor.
"Signal the tanks to advance in a spread line." she ordered. "The infantry and firebenders will follow in tight columns behind them, and get the riflemen to position themselves between us."
The orders were sent, as the messengers raised the signal flags. Azula climbed onto the tank immediately to Lin's right, taking the same position behind its upper hatch. Colonel Mongke rode forward on his rhino and stopped beside Lin's vehicle.
"My company can charge ahead and clear them out easily." he said.
"While I'm sure you would be successful, there is no need to risk your troops, colonel." Lin replied. "We do not know how close their trenches are to the range of the wall defenses. We will engage them from a distance first."
"My rhinos can cross the ground faster than the tanks."
"That would only place you ahead without support. Remain on the flank until I order otherwise."
Mongke looked toward the hidden enemy position, but nodded and returned to his company. The tanks began moving. Their tracks pressed deep paths into the earth while the columns behind them kept pace.
Lin remained standing above the hatch, scanning the ground through her telescope. For a few minutes, she saw nothing, then she finally spotted the first patch of green armor inside what looked like big squared trenches.
It had been dug too big for their forces in her opinion, but they had not encountered shrapnel yet so he couldn't blame their knowledge. More trenches appeared to either side as the formation continued forward.
"Halt the advance." Lin said.
The tank crews stopped across the line. The infantry and firebenders came to a halt behind them, waiting for the next order.
"We will fire one volley directly ahead, aim for the first green spot you see, gunner." Lin said. "Do not advance."
The tanks adjusted their cannons as the signal flags were waved again. "Fire." Lin said simply. A moment later, the entire line fired.
The shells struck the earth around the trenches, throwing dirt and stone into the air. Lin had not expected the volley to destroy the positions but some of them did. She only needed the defenders to believe that their cover had been found to flush them out but killing a few of them already was great.
Earthbenders rose from the trenches across the plain, like she expected them to. Stone platforms formed beneath their feet, carrying them forward at high speed while others launched slabs and boulders toward the tanks.
"Rifles open fire! Firebenders forward!" Lin ordered. "Engage them before they reach the line."
The two companies of riflemen opened fire between the columns and immediately dropped a few of the earthbenders.
The front ranks moved around the tanks and released streams of fire across the open ground. Several earthbenders raised walls while still moving, but the attacks forced them to slow and defend themselves.
Lin pulled her handgun from its holster and rested her arm against the edge of the hatch. The distance was long, though the approaching earthbenders gave her clear targets. She fired at one of them, striking his shoulder and throwing him from the sliding rocks.
To her right, Azula raised two fingers and lightning illuminated the battlefield, crossing the field at high speed and striking an earthbender who had been preparing to launch a large section of ground beneath one of the tanks. He collapsed before completing the movement, and the stone broke apart around him.
With the earthbenders stopped on their tracks, the tanks fired again, now with clearer targets. Their shells pierced through the advancing line, breaking the rocks apart and throwing several earthbenders to the ground. The firebenders followed, burning their way through the now disorganized unit of earthbenders.
Within a couple of minutes, they had been defeated. Some of the surviving earthbenders retreated toward the wall, using stone to carry themselves away. The rest of them were killed on the spot.
"Listen up!" Lin shouted. "We are forming a defensive line here. Take defensive positions, we will meet whatever they decide to send next."
As the men started taking defensive positions, another railway shell struck Ba Sing Se. The impacts were louder here, Lin was sure that it would bring desperation to the Earth Kingdom forces.
They would be ready for another attack. Still, the enemy's first attempt to slow their advance had achieved nothing. They were off to a good start.
The explosions had not stopped since sunrise. Major Lee felt every impact through the stone beneath his feet. The floor trembled, dust was getting everywhere, and the sound of the explosions striking the walls was deafening.
Close to where the attack was happening, orders had to be shouted directly into the ears of the soldiers beside him, and even then he could not be certain they had understood. The corridor behind the battlements had become crowded with wounded men, healers and crews carrying bodies away from the damaged sections.
Some were covered in dust until their uniforms could barely be identified. Others had been struck by fragments of stone thrown loose by the explosions. There were already more bodies than the recovery teams could manage, and the bombardment showed no sign of slowing.
Lee had spent the first hour trying to coordinate repairs. Earthbenders had raised fresh stone toward the damaged sections, only for the next shells to break their work apart and bury several of them beneath it. After that failed, they attempted to tunnel through the wall and approach the damage from within.
The first team had barely reached the outer section before an explosion collapsed the tunnel. A second group had tried from another direction and suffered the same result. The few men who returned reported that the stone near the impacts had been reduced to loose fragments and dust. There was little left for them to bend into place, and remaining there for more than a few moments meant waiting for the next explosion to strike.
Lee had ordered the repair crews farther back after the third attempt. He hated giving up ground inside the wall, but continuing would only waste more men. The Fire Nation weapons were striking the same areas repeatedly, and each impact widened the damage before the earthbenders could stabilize it.
The corridor shook violently as another explosion hit the walls. Several soldiers braced themselves against the walls while a section of the ceiling cracked and fell across the floor. Lee covered his head until the debris stopped, then forced himself upright.
He would have revenge for this. Whatever evil spirits had given the Fire Nation such weapons would be made to answer for the lives lost here. No honorable army should possess such a cruel and terrible power.
Still, that anger would not help him now. Lee took a slow breath, calming himself, even as the loud impacts shook the grounds. He needed to remain calm and decide what could still be done. He knew they still outnumbered the Fire Nation several times over. Their enemy could not be allowed to control the pace of the battle.
A soldier entered the chamber, covered in dirt and breathing heavily. Lee recognized the markings of the Terra Team on what remained of his uniform.
"Major… we had to retreat, we couldn't ambush them, they were too strong." he said. "Our team was crushed within minutes. They are using long range weapons in metal machines. We were no match. Only a handful of us returned, everyone else is dead."
'These are bad news.'
"Get to the healing room, I will inform the general." Lee said.
If the Terra Team had failed that meant that their elite force was gone. They needed a larger attack, one strong enough to reach the weapons wherever those may be. If they continued using them without resistance, there would soon be nothing left to repair.
Lee quickly left the chamber to find General Sung atop the wall. He ran his way up, the general was pacing back and forth, when Lee approached he quickly made his way to him.
"Major, any news about the ambush? We cannot see the battlefield with the amount of dust clouds that are now blocking our view from up here."
"General, the Terra Team has been utterly defeated." Lee said.
"Impossible. All of them?"
"Only a few returned, and in a bad shape at that."
"Then attacking is doomed to fail." General Sung said, and as if waiting for that same phrase, another loud impact shook the walls.
"We have to do something, if we don't figure out what is hitting our walls soon, they will collapse." Lee said.
But what could they actually do? The Fire Nation was clearly using a new technology, something they hadn't seen so far and it was completely destroying their walls. Even using their strongest telescope they couldn't see what was attacking them.
The men who had been closer and survived described hearing a whistle before the explosions hit. At first it was one big one every few minutes, then it was smaller every second. It was terrifying and the damage was mounting up.
"The evil spirit rumor was true, they are aiding the Fire Nation. We must fortify our defenses more than ever." General Sung said.
And to top it all, his general was behaving like a crying child. "General, we already did as you ordered, we are getting more stone up the wall so that we can distribute it and repair it, but we need to attack them, discover what their weapons are, and destroy them." Lee said.
"If we are not safe behind these walls, then we are not safe out there, do you want me to send more men to their death?!"
Lee wondered how on earth Sung came to have command of the entire defense of the city walls, he was totally incompetent. Sending the Terra Team had been the right idea, but now it was clear they needed a bigger force and he was just crying, scared.
"If we wait, the walls will be destroyed, General!" Lee said.
"We will keep repairing them, we have no hope of sending a bigger force, the Terra Team was our best unit." Sung said.
"General, please reconsider, too many will die at this rate and the walls may collapse." Lee implored.
"Then we find a way of strengthening the walls. Send word to the city, we need better materials and the hardest stone they can bring." Sung said.
This was the worst situation they could be in, their commanding officer was refusing to attack, refusing to see that the walls wouldn't stand forever. Lee had never seen or felt something so destructive, but even being close to where the impacts were landing was enough to shake his very bones.
He was sure that the wall wouldn't stand against such powerful explosions. Through the years, the Fire Nation had used blasting jelly against their forces to create explosions, but never before had they seen something like that.
Lee thought that if they fired those weapons towards them, they would be having even more casualties than what they already had. They needed to do something, urgently, he dreaded to think what those weapons could do if they targeted the city instead of the walls.
He gritted his teeth and saluted the general. He turned around and walked quickly away from the general. Captain Ro joined him as he walked away.
"We will do as he ordered, captain, but get as many troops as you can muster to be ready for an assault." Lee said, as soon as they were out of the general's ears.
"You will go behind his back?" Ro asked, concerned.
"We cannot stay behind our walls and do nothing, they will collapse sooner than he thinks. The holes are too big and repairing the damage is impossible with the amount of explosions happening. We need to push forward now." Lee said.
"I understand, I will get everyone ready." Ro said.
"Tell everyone we will tunnel our way out and ambush their forces."
"Yes sir!"
99 A.G
It had taken another two weeks for the railway guns to reach firing range of Ba Sing Se's outer wall. The engineers had finished reinforcing the tracks that morning, and the crews were already positioning the guns where they were needed.
Lin stood at the head of the table inside her command tent. The senior officers of the Fourth Army had gathered around it, joined by Major General Shinu of the Second Army, Azula and Toph. A large map of the surrounding terrain covered most of the table, with markers showing the wall, the railway line and the positions their scouts had identified.
"We begin the advance tomorrow morning." Lin said. "The Fourth Army will move toward the wall until our field artillery is within range. The railway crews, engineers and the Second Army will remain here."
General Shinu looked down at the marked positions. "My entire army is staying in reserve?"
"Yes. I expect the enemy to send a force against us once the bombardment begins. They will likely test our lines before committing more soldiers. The Fourth Army will meet that attack while your men protect the railway and prepare to reinforce any section that requires it."
Lin moved several markers forward through the map for them to visualize.
"We will attack three different sections of the wall, that means we will be dividing our forces. The tanks, infantry and firebenders will form the main line of each group. The two rifle companies will remain behind them and engage first using their range advantage. Colonel Mongke and his rhinos will remain closely watching over our flanks until the wall is breached, and they can move ahead of everyone else."
"The field artillery assigned to each group will stay as the army advances and will begin firing once they are close enough. Their main target will be the wall, although they may support the front line if the Earth Kingdom sends a large force against us."
Azula studied the map. "Why aren't we dropping troops from the gliders behind the wall?"
"Or better yet, why don't you just land people on top of the wall?" Toph commented.
"Because every gun we have will be firing toward it, fighting in that condition would be extremely dangerous." Lin said. "Landing troops inside the walls would also place our soldiers behind enemy lines with no support. The Earth Kingdom has enough men to surround them before we can breach the walls and reinforce them."
"So no jumping onto the wall." Azula said.
"No."
"That probably would have been annoying anyway."
"We will use the gliders, and they will launch at the same time as the advance. Their first task is reconnaissance, but they will also observe the impacts from the railway guns and report any corrections, flying in between the wall and the artillery units. The gliders will confirm where each shell lands, return to signal the corrections, and then fly back toward the wall and so on."
One of the officers frowned. "Would it not be better to wait until the rest of the army is in position before revealing the guns?"
"The enemy already knows we are here." Lin replied. "Several of their scouts have been killed near the railway. They know we brought heavy weapons, even if they do not know their exact range. We gain nothing by delaying the first shots."
She pointed at three marked sections near the base of the wall.
"The guns will fire at these positions. Once the aim is correct, the bombardment will continue until the wall collapses or the ammunition is exhausted."
Lin turned toward the latest report resting beside the map.
"Our estimates place the defending force at approximately five hundred thousand soldiers."
Several officers reacted at once, and Lin raised a hand to quiet them.
"That is more than six times our total strength." General Shinu said.
"Correct." Lin replied. "Ba Sing Se has a population of approximately four million by our calculations, taking into account the refugee situation. Around twelve percent of that population is already serving in some military capacity, and more could be raised after we enter the city."
"Then breaching the wall may be the least of our problems…" Captain Aiku said.
"It will be." Lin agreed. "The wall itself does not concern me. General Sung commands the defense, and every report describes him as an officer promoted through nepotism. He has more soldiers than he knows how to coordinate. If we open several breaches before he can reorganize them, his numbers will make communication harder."
Captain Kaida smiled slightly. "Too many men trying to respond to too many orders."
"Yes. We need to enter before he establishes a proper defense behind the wall."
Lin reached for another marker and placed it beside the railway line.
"Toph, you will remain with the trains."
Toph crossed her arms. "Why do I have to stay all the way back here?"
"Because the railway guns will become their main target once they understand they cannot defeat our forces directly. They may attempt to tunnel beneath the tracks or the artillery positions."
Toph considered that for a moment. "I'll feel them before they get close."
"That is what I am depending on. You have permission to pull them out of the ground and capture them if possible. If they threaten the guns or the engineers, you may use whatever force is necessary."
"Fine. I can do that."
General Shinu continued examining the distances marked on the map.
"How long do you expect my army to remain here before the wall is breached?"
"Between eighteen and twenty-four hours."
"What?!" Shinu shouted. "You can't be serious, General. That wall has resisted attacks for centuries. Even the Dragon of the West failed to enter the city after a siege lasting six-hundred days. You cannot expect it to fall in one."
"I expect all three sections to fall within a day, actually." she said.
Several of the officers looked at her with disbelief, only Azula looked reassured.
"The twelve railway guns are being divided into three batteries of four. Each battery will fire at one of the marked positions. We have more than a hundred and thirty field artillery pieces, some will remain on reserve while the rest will be divided among the same targets. We will have thirty-eight artillery pieces for each group and save the rest in case we need support."
She placed her finger against the lowest section of the wall.
"The guns are powerful enough, we just have to aim low. The railway shells carry enough explosives to reduce the stone around the impact to dust. Earthbenders cannot repair the damage if there are no large pieces left for them to move."
"I expect that once we have made a big enough hole around fifteen meters deep, the weight above it will cause the section to collapse and create a slope. We will continue firing until that collapses which would be fairly soon at that point."
One of the artillery commanders studied the figures written beside each battery. "Four railway guns can fire thirty-two shells into each target every hour."
"Indeed. The supporting artillery can add more than a thousand smaller shells per hour across the three positions without forcing the crews to overheat the barrels. The defenders will not be able to approach the damaged sections long enough to repair them even if they did bring more rock to the wall."
"I would even say with those numbers the wall would be destroyed sooner." Azula asked.
"Yes, but we have to take into consideration that visibility to adjust the aim as we continue to fire might be a challenge." Lin replied. "Every impact will throw dust and broken stone into the air. The glider scouts may have difficulty confirming whether the shells are still striking the correct point. Even with the new light signals, communication will take time. They must fly close enough to observe the wall, signal their report and return to a position where the artillery crews can see them."
The system was definitely faster than what they had so far, but it still depended on the scouts being able to see through the dust and reproduce the correct signals while controlling their gliders. Lin hoped the telegraph, or even better, a radio, would be invented fairly soon.
General Shinu looked toward the rear of the tent, in the direction of the railway guns outside.
"You are certain they can bring down something that large?"
"We tested the same shells against a mountain, General." Lin said. "The section we targeted collapsed entirely. I am confident the firepower is more than enough. It will fall within a day."
The officers were quieter now. Some remained doubtful, although none offered another objection. Lin moved three groups of markers through the planned breaches.
"Once all three sections are open, the Fourth Army will assault immediately. First the Rhinos would storm the front and middle section. The rubble would make it difficult for our tanks to advance, but Rhinos would climb the debris without issues. The rest of each group will follow. Each force will secure its entrance and then move inward. The center will advance directly while both flanks turn toward one another and begin a pincer movement."
"You intend to isolate the defenders between the breaches." Azula said.
"Yes. General Sung will have to decide which opening to reinforce while receiving reports from all three. We will give him no time to mount a strong enough defense to keep us out. Once we secure a frontline inside, the second army will move in to push through and give my soldiers a moment to prepare defenses and rest after the initial battle."
Shinu nodded. "Sounds good. I brought the Yuyan archers with me, I believe they would hold a similar position to your two companies of rifles."
"That's good, yes." Lin said. Everyone understood the plan now, it was time to storm the walls.
"Review your assignments with your officers tonight. The first railway gun will fire at sunrise. It's time to teach Ba Sing Se that they are not invincible."
The operation began with the rising sun. Lin advanced at the head of the lead battalion with Azula beside her. Behind them, the Fourth Army moved in three large groups toward the sections of the wall assigned to them.
Tanks led the central formation, followed by columns of infantry and firebenders, while the rhino cavalry remained along the flanks. Only Colonel Mongke was riding beside them, just in case they needed to change their plans.
The railway guns had been firing for more than an hour already. Their detonations could be heard across the ground at regular intervals, louder and deeper than the field artillery following behind the army.
Lin felt each discharge through the ground, followed a minute later by the distant impact against Ba Sing Se's wall. The sound was the same as she remembered from her own world and memories flooded her mind.
During her deployment, there had rarely been a time when artillery, mortars or bombs could not be heard. Sometimes distant, sometimes closer than anyone would want. Even when her unit was away from the front, the noise had continued through the day and into the night.
She had learned to sleep through it then, but now she couldn't help but shake a little bit. It was a bit embarrassing but she did her best to stay in control, calmed and collected. They had left their field artillery to prepare for their barrage as well now that they were within range and they had kept advancing at a steady pace.
The wall was clearly visible now. Movement had appeared along the wall now that they were close enough, though the growing dust cloud made it difficult to see what the defenders were doing.
The lower half of the structure had already disappeared behind a fog of dirt and dust thrown into the air by the bombardment. Only the top remained clearly visible. Lin took her telescope and observed them.
Earthbenders stood along the battlements, launching rocks high into the sky toward the gliders circling above them. Most of the projectiles fell short, while a few of them passed close enough to force the pilots to turn sharply away.
Taking a look at the gliders, one of them was heading back toward them. She pointed the telescope its way and decoded the message they were sending below them with a light lamp.
"It seems they have spotted enemy forces one kilometer ahead of us." Lin said.
Lin looked across the plain. She could see no formations between them and the wall.
"They are entrenched, otherwise we would be able to see them." Azula narrowed her eyes toward the ground ahead.
"Yes, they are probably waiting to ambush us."
"We could deal with them easily."
"Yes, but we are not sure how many there are. Let's flush them out."
Lin approached the closest tank and climbed onto its upper hull. She opened the small top hatch and lowered herself until her legs rested inside, leaving her upper body above the armor.
"Signal the tanks to advance in a spread line." she ordered. "The infantry and firebenders will follow in tight columns behind them, and get the riflemen to position themselves between us."
The orders were sent, as the messengers raised the signal flags. Azula climbed onto the tank immediately to Lin's right, taking the same position behind its upper hatch. Colonel Mongke rode forward on his rhino and stopped beside Lin's vehicle.
"My company can charge ahead and clear them out easily." he said.
"While I'm sure you would be successful, there is no need to risk your troops, colonel." Lin replied. "We do not know how close their trenches are to the range of the wall defenses. We will engage them from a distance first."
"My rhinos can cross the ground faster than the tanks."
"That would only place you ahead without support. Remain on the flank until I order otherwise."
Mongke looked toward the hidden enemy position, but nodded and returned to his company. The tanks began moving. Their tracks pressed deep paths into the earth while the columns behind them kept pace.
Lin remained standing above the hatch, scanning the ground through her telescope. For a few minutes, she saw nothing, then she finally spotted the first patch of green armor inside what looked like big squared trenches.
It had been dug too big for their forces in her opinion, but they had not encountered shrapnel yet so he couldn't blame their knowledge. More trenches appeared to either side as the formation continued forward.
"Halt the advance." Lin said.
The tank crews stopped across the line. The infantry and firebenders came to a halt behind them, waiting for the next order.
"We will fire one volley directly ahead, aim for the first green spot you see, gunner." Lin said. "Do not advance."
The tanks adjusted their cannons as the signal flags were waved again. "Fire." Lin said simply. A moment later, the entire line fired.
The shells struck the earth around the trenches, throwing dirt and stone into the air. Lin had not expected the volley to destroy the positions but some of them did. She only needed the defenders to believe that their cover had been found to flush them out but killing a few of them already was great.
Earthbenders rose from the trenches across the plain, like she expected them to. Stone platforms formed beneath their feet, carrying them forward at high speed while others launched slabs and boulders toward the tanks.
"Rifles open fire! Firebenders forward!" Lin ordered. "Engage them before they reach the line."
The two companies of riflemen opened fire between the columns and immediately dropped a few of the earthbenders.
The front ranks moved around the tanks and released streams of fire across the open ground. Several earthbenders raised walls while still moving, but the attacks forced them to slow and defend themselves.
Lin pulled her handgun from its holster and rested her arm against the edge of the hatch. The distance was long, though the approaching earthbenders gave her clear targets. She fired at one of them, striking his shoulder and throwing him from the sliding rocks.
To her right, Azula raised two fingers and lightning illuminated the battlefield, crossing the field at high speed and striking an earthbender who had been preparing to launch a large section of ground beneath one of the tanks. He collapsed before completing the movement, and the stone broke apart around him.
With the earthbenders stopped on their tracks, the tanks fired again, now with clearer targets. Their shells pierced through the advancing line, breaking the rocks apart and throwing several earthbenders to the ground. The firebenders followed, burning their way through the now disorganized unit of earthbenders.
Within a couple of minutes, they had been defeated. Some of the surviving earthbenders retreated toward the wall, using stone to carry themselves away. The rest of them were killed on the spot.
"Listen up!" Lin shouted. "We are forming a defensive line here. Take defensive positions, we will meet whatever they decide to send next."
As the men started taking defensive positions, another railway shell struck Ba Sing Se. The impacts were louder here, Lin was sure that it would bring desperation to the Earth Kingdom forces.
They would be ready for another attack. Still, the enemy's first attempt to slow their advance had achieved nothing. They were off to a good start.
The explosions had not stopped since sunrise. Major Lee felt every impact through the stone beneath his feet. The floor trembled, dust was getting everywhere, and the sound of the explosions striking the walls was deafening.
Close to where the attack was happening, orders had to be shouted directly into the ears of the soldiers beside him, and even then he could not be certain they had understood. The corridor behind the battlements had become crowded with wounded men, healers and crews carrying bodies away from the damaged sections.
Some were covered in dust until their uniforms could barely be identified. Others had been struck by fragments of stone thrown loose by the explosions. There were already more bodies than the recovery teams could manage, and the bombardment showed no sign of slowing.
Lee had spent the first hour trying to coordinate repairs. Earthbenders had raised fresh stone toward the damaged sections, only for the next shells to break their work apart and bury several of them beneath it. After that failed, they attempted to tunnel through the wall and approach the damage from within.
The first team had barely reached the outer section before an explosion collapsed the tunnel. A second group had tried from another direction and suffered the same result. The few men who returned reported that the stone near the impacts had been reduced to loose fragments and dust. There was little left for them to bend into place, and remaining there for more than a few moments meant waiting for the next explosion to strike.
Lee had ordered the repair crews farther back after the third attempt. He hated giving up ground inside the wall, but continuing would only waste more men. The Fire Nation weapons were striking the same areas repeatedly, and each impact widened the damage before the earthbenders could stabilize it.
The corridor shook violently as another explosion hit the walls. Several soldiers braced themselves against the walls while a section of the ceiling cracked and fell across the floor. Lee covered his head until the debris stopped, then forced himself upright.
He would have revenge for this. Whatever evil spirits had given the Fire Nation such weapons would be made to answer for the lives lost here. No honorable army should possess such a cruel and terrible power.
Still, that anger would not help him now. Lee took a slow breath, calming himself, even as the loud impacts shook the grounds. He needed to remain calm and decide what could still be done. He knew they still outnumbered the Fire Nation several times over. Their enemy could not be allowed to control the pace of the battle.
A soldier entered the chamber, covered in dirt and breathing heavily. Lee recognized the markings of the Terra Team on what remained of his uniform.
"Major… we had to retreat, we couldn't ambush them, they were too strong." he said. "Our team was crushed within minutes. They are using long range weapons in metal machines. We were no match. Only a handful of us returned, everyone else is dead."
'These are bad news.'
"Get to the healing room, I will inform the general." Lee said.
If the Terra Team had failed that meant that their elite force was gone. They needed a larger attack, one strong enough to reach the weapons wherever those may be. If they continued using them without resistance, there would soon be nothing left to repair.
Lee quickly left the chamber to find General Sung atop the wall. He ran his way up, the general was pacing back and forth, when Lee approached he quickly made his way to him.
"Major, any news about the ambush? We cannot see the battlefield with the amount of dust clouds that are now blocking our view from up here."
"General, the Terra Team has been utterly defeated." Lee said.
"Impossible. All of them?"
"Only a few returned, and in a bad shape at that."
"Then attacking is doomed to fail." General Sung said, and as if waiting for that same phrase, another loud impact shook the walls.
"We have to do something, if we don't figure out what is hitting our walls soon, they will collapse." Lee said.
But what could they actually do? The Fire Nation was clearly using a new technology, something they hadn't seen so far and it was completely destroying their walls. Even using their strongest telescope they couldn't see what was attacking them.
The men who had been closer and survived described hearing a whistle before the explosions hit. At first it was one big one every few minutes, then it was smaller every second. It was terrifying and the damage was mounting up.
"The evil spirit rumor was true, they are aiding the Fire Nation. We must fortify our defenses more than ever." General Sung said.
And to top it all, his general was behaving like a crying child. "General, we already did as you ordered, we are getting more stone up the wall so that we can distribute it and repair it, but we need to attack them, discover what their weapons are, and destroy them." Lee said.
"If we are not safe behind these walls, then we are not safe out there, do you want me to send more men to their death?!"
Lee wondered how on earth Sung came to have command of the entire defense of the city walls, he was totally incompetent. Sending the Terra Team had been the right idea, but now it was clear they needed a bigger force and he was just crying, scared.
"If we wait, the walls will be destroyed, General!" Lee said.
"We will keep repairing them, we have no hope of sending a bigger force, the Terra Team was our best unit." Sung said.
"General, please reconsider, too many will die at this rate and the walls may collapse." Lee implored.
"Then we find a way of strengthening the walls. Send word to the city, we need better materials and the hardest stone they can bring." Sung said.
This was the worst situation they could be in, their commanding officer was refusing to attack, refusing to see that the walls wouldn't stand forever. Lee had never seen or felt something so destructive, but even being close to where the impacts were landing was enough to shake his very bones.
He was sure that the wall wouldn't stand against such powerful explosions. Through the years, the Fire Nation had used blasting jelly against their forces to create explosions, but never before had they seen something like that.
Lee thought that if they fired those weapons towards them, they would be having even more casualties than what they already had. They needed to do something, urgently, he dreaded to think what those weapons could do if they targeted the city instead of the walls.
He gritted his teeth and saluted the general. He turned around and walked quickly away from the general. Captain Ro joined him as he walked away.
"We will do as he ordered, captain, but get as many troops as you can muster to be ready for an assault." Lee said, as soon as they were out of the general's ears.
"You will go behind his back?" Ro asked, concerned.
"We cannot stay behind our walls and do nothing, they will collapse sooner than he thinks. The holes are too big and repairing the damage is impossible with the amount of explosions happening. We need to push forward now." Lee said.
"I understand, I will get everyone ready." Ro said.
"Tell everyone we will tunnel our way out and ambush their forces."
"Yes sir!"
Juris the Tree
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Aww, that chibi art is adorable!
Thanks for the chapters!
Woe to thee, Earth Kingdom, for thou hast discovered the terror brought to bear by a realized industrial revolution!
Thanks for the chapters!
Woe to thee, Earth Kingdom, for thou hast discovered the terror brought to bear by a realized industrial revolution!
Sharker117
Getting sticky.
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Going from the "deadly power couple" art at the end of chapter 38 to the "chibi gremlins" at the start of chapter 39 was great.
TFTC.
TFTC.
Lucernello
This world has too many villains.
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Introduced to the hammer of civilization!
For the Fire Nation!
I thought so as well, hilarious, hehe.
I mean, it would be difficult to believe something is firing metal thingies 14 kilometers away from your position and that they go so fast you cannot even see them land, and they explode on impact as well. But that is if you are a bit aware of what is happening, for them things are exploding all of a sudden, so yes... an evil spirit indeed.
NightmareWarden
Playtest Results: *happy chirping*
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"There's a thousand 'Lees'," alright. But I won't hold Lee's name against him. He's doing this to spend the lives of his men in useful ways, as well as give his district time to evacuate. If he survives long enough, he's got enough of a brain to talk about surrender with other members of the military.
Part of the reason this situation looks so hopeless? Repeated successes at cutting down infiltrators and saboteurs within the fire nation. People who would have been better suited to delivering secret information rather than turning conquered towns against the fire nation. I mean, I have some hope that Jeong Jeong or his "second successful deserter" Chey are currently trying to spread whatever information they've obtained. They're just being blackballed by Long Feng or locked down by bureacracy.
It's hard to picture how Azula's assignments change after this. I suppose Ozai might lead a fleet to the northern water tribe, while Azula is stuck with administration details in the Earth Kingdom? Normally, this is where a fundamental change in the dynamic would occur. Like teaching Earthbending resistance a trick to detail moving trains, reveal something to Fire Nation soldiers that causes mass desertion and disillusionment with their leadership, or a spiritual experience which touches every human. Or an environmental complication in the form of weather, mountains that would take years to blast through for tracks, disease from handling the dead and wounded, a coal shortage, or something. Lin's forces have a lot of momentum, but they're more fragile than it appears. Fragile enough for the avatar to turn the tide?
Well... Probably not. There would need to be sufficient will among the Fire Nation civilian families imported to cause such a thing. Lin is pushing so hard because there is SOME will. Her people are fighting hard because one hundred years of war IS hurting their own people, even if the propaganda smothers it, reducing it to private conversations. Aang would need to cause a civil war in the fire nation, frankly. And defensive forces in the fire nation would need to have weakened themselves in favor of this offensive push.
Part of the reason this situation looks so hopeless? Repeated successes at cutting down infiltrators and saboteurs within the fire nation. People who would have been better suited to delivering secret information rather than turning conquered towns against the fire nation. I mean, I have some hope that Jeong Jeong or his "second successful deserter" Chey are currently trying to spread whatever information they've obtained. They're just being blackballed by Long Feng or locked down by bureacracy.
There's another option though. A group who would be more palatable than Fire Nation deserters.
Hakoda's men. It has barely been discussed, but some Fire Nation ships received siege weapons. Haloda's team would have been outgunned. Their ships are more maneuverable, but weaker than the pirates' ship after all. But losing a battle doesn't always mean a complete failure. Sailors would receive less of Lin's honor-flouting words. They might let survivors swim away. Hakoda's men might have advice for handling bullet wounds too, which could be spread quickly.
Hakoda's men. It has barely been discussed, but some Fire Nation ships received siege weapons. Haloda's team would have been outgunned. Their ships are more maneuverable, but weaker than the pirates' ship after all. But losing a battle doesn't always mean a complete failure. Sailors would receive less of Lin's honor-flouting words. They might let survivors swim away. Hakoda's men might have advice for handling bullet wounds too, which could be spread quickly.
It's hard to picture how Azula's assignments change after this. I suppose Ozai might lead a fleet to the northern water tribe, while Azula is stuck with administration details in the Earth Kingdom? Normally, this is where a fundamental change in the dynamic would occur. Like teaching Earthbending resistance a trick to detail moving trains, reveal something to Fire Nation soldiers that causes mass desertion and disillusionment with their leadership, or a spiritual experience which touches every human. Or an environmental complication in the form of weather, mountains that would take years to blast through for tracks, disease from handling the dead and wounded, a coal shortage, or something. Lin's forces have a lot of momentum, but they're more fragile than it appears. Fragile enough for the avatar to turn the tide?
Well... Probably not. There would need to be sufficient will among the Fire Nation civilian families imported to cause such a thing. Lin is pushing so hard because there is SOME will. Her people are fighting hard because one hundred years of war IS hurting their own people, even if the propaganda smothers it, reducing it to private conversations. Aang would need to cause a civil war in the fire nation, frankly. And defensive forces in the fire nation would need to have weakened themselves in favor of this offensive push.
Lucernello
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Surrender? There is no surrender, only victory or death! Stubborn Earth Kingdom mentality.
I have a plan for the Earth Kingdom's strategy. The Fire Nation only needs to take the Agrarian Zone because the inner city is so densely populated, it would starve them to death, and they know that as well, so it will play a hand in the next chapters of who makes the correct move. The Fire Nation army for all of it's advancement lacks a lot of manpower, so the Earth Kingdom just have to focus in a way to kill as many as they can.
The White Lotus is actively sending information and trying it's best to hinder the Fire Nation. The war was pretty much stagnant so they were not that worried, more time for the return of the Avatar, but now that the war is quickly ending in the Fire Nation's favor they were even discovered as they tried taking a more active role. In this case, the Earth Kingdom knew of the attack, they just didn't do anything to actively prepare the battlefield, believing to be safe enough behind their walls.
Regarding your spoiler prediction, I will simply not spoil what's coming, hehe.
At this point a civil war is more likely to happen between Azula's side and Ozai's. If Ba Sing Se falls and the battle for the North Water Tribe succeeds, then there are only rebel cells here and there, nothing that can force Fire Nation occupation out of the continent. Unless you unite many different people, like the sand people, swam waterbenders, ba sing se rebels and I think it would only help liberating Ba Sing Se. An invasion of the Fire Isles could be done I suppose but it wouldn't dislodge the army from their occupied territories and even if they managed the decapitating strike, they wouldn't be able to secure the Fire Nation isles. With a leadership gone for a few moments, It is more likely that the colonies would sucede into its own management and the war would continue for a long time. Lin had prepared everything in place in Omashu and the south to govern itself basically. It's interesting to think in the possibilities of that, but you will just have to see what my plan is.
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LordCommand679
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Zuko's reaction in finding out Lin is gonna marry Azula making her his sister-in-law is gonna be hilarious.
Funny thought, imagine if Mai catches Zuko dating Jin. If glares alone could kill, Zuko would have many knives and holes in his body.
Uncle Iroh: "Careful Nephew, this tea is boiled and Lady Mai just got her hands on violatile gunpowder."
Also, wonder how and if Zuko would join the Gaang, would be funny if it is like this one-shot:
Funny thought, imagine if Mai catches Zuko dating Jin. If glares alone could kill, Zuko would have many knives and holes in his body.
Uncle Iroh: "Careful Nephew, this tea is boiled and Lady Mai just got her hands on violatile gunpowder."
Also, wonder how and if Zuko would join the Gaang, would be funny if it is like this one-shot:
We’ll Meet Again, Some Sunny Day - redrobin1989 - Avatar: The Last Airbender [Archive of Our Own]
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
archiveofourown.org
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Lucernello
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Uh oh... Mai has guns now, she would shoot his kneecaps.
Zuko's reaction in finding out Lin is gonna marry Azula making her his sister-in-law is gonna be hilarious.
Hahaha, he would be like: "I'm not surprised, they are both crazy and scary." I think he wouldn't go to the wedding, I mean he prefered to go to the Earth Kingdom instead of the possibility of being found by Azula, haha.
Lucernello
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It was a fun read and a great plot twist, thanks for recommending this to me. For now I'm not going to spoil it, I have plans for the Gaang and who is going to join them :3
LordCommand679
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Maybe Zuko and Gaang can bond over their shared experience with Azula and Lin 
LordCommand679
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Maybe Zuko and Gaang can bond over their shared experience with Azula and Lin
Zuko:"Azula is my sister and she is trying to woe Lin who is equally as scary and crazy as her and if it works Lin will be my sister-in-law."
Sokka:"That's rought buddy."
Jokes aside, knowing Lin once she finds out the truth about Fire Bending and how Sozin essentially neutered the whole Fire Nation in only relaying on anger excluding other emotions suppressing such knowledge even going so far as causing the extinctiin of dragons she is gonna be pissed.
Lin: "No wonder why the war lasted 100 years, the whole Fire Nation is neutered!"
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Lucernello
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To be honest, for Lin, firebending is just a weapon. She wouldn't care about a dragon, the same way as she doesn't really care about the sky bison. And even if firebending is more powerful originally, at the end of the day, the sole focus on firebending is what causes Lin a headache. They create a tank and instead of putting weapons on it, they just stick a firebender there. So really, for her, that firebending is not more powerful is better, so that they think in another solution to waging war, heh
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LordCommand679
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Fair, I just thought since she hates waste and bemoaned that "100 years of war" is not something to be proud of she would been irked at such advantage being suppressed for no good reason .
A funny thought came: if at some point Azula and Zuko's mother is found I can see Azula due to her mommy issues as petty spite try to get a raise at her by showing that she is gonna marry a girl and that girl is someone like Lin but to her frustration instead of disapproval her mother congratulates her and is happy for her.
"STOP BEING SO REASONABLE AND UNDERSTANDING!" Azula to her mother.
Zuko meanwhile groans that his mother has no issues with Azula marrying Lin hoping she would have sided with him in disapproving the union that surely would make his and everyone's life harder.
Also, Air normads are progressive enough to allow same sex relationships so ironically to the Gaang's bafflement Aang would be the only one in the Gaang to congratulate them. "Aang buddy, don't congratulate the two crazy ashmaker terrors deciding to marry each other and thus making all our lives unbearable when their craziness combined!" Likely Sokka.
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LordCommand679
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An idea came to me: Lin knows lightling but can't use it due to her metal parts but her metal parts can channel chin in order for her to be able to use her prosthetics and she is thinking about inventing battery so what if...she can modify her prosthetics in a way that when doing lightning it would serve like a conductor? Maybe even attached batteries to hold off the excessive electricity.
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Lucernello
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Well.. the air nomads were the only ones who had temples separated by gender. So I'm sure they had plenty of stories about homosexual pairings, hehe.
I mean, the problem is not her prosthetics to guide as a conductor but rather the extensive metal parts in her back and hips that are there to help her handle the amount of weight the body now has, and help regulate her inner flame temperature. Metal dissipates heat quickly to the surface which is how she is able to regulate her flames. Otherwise the metal parts inside her body would dissipate the heat to her own organs, hurting her. And while lighting is generated using chi to separate energies, once it is circulating it follows the natural physics rules, and any metal part that isn't titanium or lead is going to act as a heavy conductor. And before you say let's have her replace her metal parts with titanium, the Fire Nation doesn't have the chemistry and industrial capacity to process titanium and lead is highly poisonous.
Regarding the battery itself, she is working on a way to create a small battery using Azula's lighting, earlier in the story she was experimenting with the princess regarding that. The problem is, she doesn't remember how it worked exactly, and she doesn't know that a few discs of copper and zinc plus cloth dipped heavily in salt water close to the volcanoes islands would work to create a battery. By the time she is alive in our world, 150 years have already gone by since the creation of the battery and humanity was not using salt water anymore (brine) as a conductor inside batteries, but rather a complex strong liquid acids, and eventually alkaline solutions (Potassium Hydroxide) by 1950s. Something way out of her depth of knowledge.
LordCommand679
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Why do I feel like Ty Lee may ask more about such "stories" from Aang if she finds out...God forbid if Aang's rabid fans from the Kyoshi Island find out.
Speaking of, other than weapons did she also tried inventing common things like flush toilets? Considering this whole world is feudal she likely thought prevent diseases by spreading 50s sanitation should be considered, or does Fire Nation just...burn their own shit? Considering I recall in the show we saw Fire Nation lack of giving a shit about environment(pun intended) destroying the forest which angered its spirit or that lake village in Fire Nation stuck in muck of sewer crap and pollution which destroyed the fishing market and definitely likely caused the spread of diseases.
Maybe she could theoritically make something like her prosphetics to help that guy who is the Mechanist's son on a wheelchair to be able to use his legs.
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Chapter 41 - The Day the Wall Fell
New
Lucernello
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AN: Hello, I hope you had a nice week. Finally the commissioned art is here! Yay.
Art made by Clero again.
Enjoy,
Luce
Lin watched the fighting from the top of the tank while hawks and messengers moved between her three divisions currently engaged in fights, carrying orders around. The Earth Kingdom had attacked both flanks at nearly the same time, confirming that the tunnels had been prepared in advance and that the two forces were following a coordinated plan.
Their numbers were greater than Lin had expected. Thousands of earthbenders had emerged on each side, using raised ground and sliding stones to close the distance quickly. The tanks and rhinos had stopped their first charge, but the fighting had spread across both flanks and was forcing her army to divide its attention.
"The left flank is holding, General." one of the messengers reported. "Colonel Mongke has stopped their advance, but they are still pressing him."
"And the right side?"
"They overturned four tanks and damaged two more. Captain Kaida is asking for reinforcements."
Lin looked toward the right flank. Dust covered much of the battlefield, though she could still see rocks rising between the tanks and bursts of fire coming from the infantry behind them. The earthbenders had managed to reach the formation before the line had fully adjusted, and several groups were trying to break through toward the center.
"Send the first rifle company to our right flank." Lin ordered. "Move three firebender units with them. The eastern flank will hold its current position and avoid advancing."
Azula stood beside her on the tank, watching the messengers repeat the orders through flags.
"You are leaving Mongke to hold them off almost on his own." she said.
"I trust the colonel. He only needs to stop them from moving farther." Lin replied. "Their forces were quicker on the right flank, and moved deeper into our position. If we break them first, they will have no space to retreat and we can easily turn to the left flank once they are dealt with."
The reinforcements began moving behind the central line. Riflemen formed two rows between the tanks while the firebenders spread around them, using the vehicles for cover as they approached the frontline.
Lin raised her telescope. The Earth Kingdom soldiers continued pushing forward, probably believing that they had weakened the defense by overturning several tanks. They had entered the open ground between the Fire Nation formations and were now too far from their tunnels to withdraw quickly.
Azula smiled. "We could set up a trap for them, make them believe they are breaking through."
"You are right, princess. Signal Captain Kaida." Lin said. "Have her give ground slowly and draw them farther in. The tanks on the inner side will turn toward them once the riflemen are in position. Have them open fire once our men begin moving back."
The right flank began withdrawing several steps at a time. Firebenders released short volleys before moving back, while the remaining tanks moved backward, keeping their front armor toward the advancing earthbenders.
The enemy followed using stone platforms to maintain their speed. Once the last riflemen reached their assigned position, Lin gave the order and watched the slaughter unfold before her. The tanks fired together, decimating Earth Kingdom forces.
Riflemen opened fire from behind them, striking earthbenders who had been focused on the soldiers retreating ahead. The additional firebenders moved around the opposite side and closed the space between the enemy and their tunnels.
The earthbenders tried to raise walls, but they were being attacked from three directions. Some attempted to break through toward the center, only to find more infantry waiting behind the tanks. Others turned back toward the tunnels and encountered the firebenders cutting across their retreat.
"Advance the right line further." Lin ordered. "Keep the pressure on them but don't pursue them inside the tunnels."
Azula glanced at her. "You are allowing them to escape?"
"They can easily collapse the tunnels with our forces inside of them, I would rather not risk that, even if they are disorganized and desperately retreating."
The Fire Nation soldiers continued closing around the earthbenders while leaving corpses behind. Several enemy soldiers broke into a run, back toward their tunnels. Although some of them kept them at bay using walls and stone slabs to cover for the retreating soldiers.
The rhinos that were left kept charging at them, and the riflemen fired into the disorganized group behind the soldiers without mercy. Not many would be left alive to get into the tunnels. The earthbenders raised barriers and tried to force them back, but they no longer had enough of them to cover for everyone.
Within minutes, their formations collapsed under the continuing fire. Within several minutes, the right flank attack had been defeated. Some earthbenders surrendered, while the remaining soldiers tried to retreat in smaller groups. Most were stopped before reaching the tunnels.
Lin turned toward the left flank now, ready to move her forces around. From her position, she could see that Mongke had managed to stall the attack well, and the tanks they had were not in a bad shape either.
"Move the first rifle company and half of the supporting firebenders to Mongke's position. Have the infantry execute the ones who surrendered, we are not taking prisoners today." Lin said.
The soldiers crossed behind the central formation while the left flank defenders continued holding their ground. Mongke and his rhinos had prevented the second Earth Kingdom force from reaching the infantry, though several animals had been injured and one lay dead near the front.
The earthbenders had already begun withdrawing when the reinforcements arrived. They had probably realized that they couldn't break through, but they were still too far from their tunnel entrance to escape before the Fire Nation line advanced.
"Push them back, concentrate on causing as many casualties as we can." Lin ordered. "Force them toward the center and surround them. Ignore the ones who manage to break away."
The rhinos and tanks moved forward at a controlled pace while the firebenders followed behind them. Rocks struck against their armor and hides, but the animals continued advancing. Firebenders attacked over and around them, preventing the earthbenders from gathering enough force for another organized charge.
The rifle company reached the flank and began firing from behind the tanks. The remaining Earth Kingdom soldiers tried to separate, with some moving toward the tunnel while others attempted to draw the Fire Nation away. Neither group managed to travel far intact and the battle ended shortly after.
Lin's officers began reporting the losses while soldiers recovered the wounded and secured the prisoners to terminate later on. Several tanks had been overturned, and two had suffered damage to their tracks and lower armor.
They could be repaired, though one vehicle would need to be taken back to the railway workshop. The rhino company had also lost a few of their riders and animals during the first attack, while the infantry had suffered casualties when the earthbenders reached their lines.
The losses were not insignificant, but the Earth Kingdom had committed a much larger force and achieved nothing. Their speed had allowed them to reach the flanks quickly, though remaining in the open after the first charge had decided the battle.
The bombardment against Ba Sing Se had continued throughout the fighting. Railway shells struck the wall at regular intervals, followed by the faster barrage from the field artillery. Dust covered the lower sections entirely, and each impact sent another tremor beneath Lin's feet.
She looked toward the wall through her telescope. The gliders continued passing between the artillery and the target, and the signals indicated that the guns were still striking the correct areas.
"Have the damaged units brought into reserve and see if they can begin repairing the tanks." Lin ordered. "The rest of the army will maintain these positions while the engineers clear the ground."
Azula looked toward the wall. "You think it will fall soon?"
"The lower sections have already taken several hours of continuous fire." Lin replied. "We should begin preparing the assault groups now."
The enemy had failed to break her forces, and she didn't expect them to try another attack. Unless General Sung sent another army into the open toward their artillery, and she very much doubted that, nothing remained to interrupt the bombardment.
Lin then made her officers reorganize their units and prepare the rhinos and the earthbender units for the breaches. Azula had come up with the idea to use their small number of earthbenders to prepare the ground so that tanks could storm the breaches better.
Once everything was ready, Lin ordered the Fourth Army to divide into three assault groups, each positioned opposite one of the sections being targeted by the railway guns.
The tanks and infantry moved first, while the rhino companies remained close behind them, ready to advance once the wall collapsed. The two Riflemen companies were split into three platoons for each breach and firebenders filled the rest of the gaps.
Although the dust cloud and explosions from the constant shelling were hiding much of their movements, Lin wanted to make it even harder for the defenders to see what her army was doing.
"Prepare all gliders for another flight." she ordered. "Have them carry coal in them and grenades. We will throw them as close to the wall as possible in a line."
Colonel Zhou looked toward the wall through her telescope. "General, why are we wasting coal?"
"The grenades will burn it, creating a thick black smoke. They already have difficulty seeing through the dust. Black smoke will make it impossible for them to watch our moves."
"Ah, I see. At once!"
The first group launched soon after. Each glider carried sacks of coal tied beneath its frame, along with several grenades. They flew high enough to avoid most of the rocks thrown from the battlements before releasing their loads over the damaged sections and along the wall as well.
The grenades exploded among the coal, scattering black powder through the air and igniting parts of it. Thick smoke rose in front of the wall and mixed with the dust from the artillery impacts. True, they wouldn't be able to see much themselves, but Lin was sure they would be in too much chaos with the collapse of the wall to focus on attacking them at first.
Lin also remained confident that the wall would soon collapse. The railway shells had struck the same points for hours, and every report from the scouts confirmed that the damage was spreading upward. The defenders could no longer approach the base safely, while the smoke prevented them from seeing how close the Fire Nation forces had moved.
Two hours later, a glider returned from the wall and began signaling. Lin raised her telescope and followed the light pattern, writing down the message from the scouts.
"They are reinforcing the breaches, the enemy is aware their walls will collapse soon." she relayed.
"What are they doing?" Azula asked.
"They are building smaller stone walls behind the damaged sections. The scouts also said that large groups of soldiers were moving from the direction of the inner city."
"How many?"
"The signal only says that the whole agrarian zone is full of them. They are preparing a large defensive force behind all three positions. They will probably try to assault us in waves to overwhelm and encircle us."
Lin opened a small map she had hand drawn earlier, and studied the plan she had put together. She added the walls. Lin wanted the Earth Kingdom to keep focusing on defense instead of forcing an attack on them.
They could easily spot them from above and just wait for the artillery to soften them up, probably firing 200 meters in front of her forces. Once the barrage was done with, they could coordinate an advance with her ground troops and the field artillery and little by little win the territory over until they surrendered or broke down due to low morale.
"Arm the next gliders with bombs, Captain." Lin ordered. "Their targets are the new walls behind each breach."
Captain Aiku hesitated. "The smoke may make them difficult to locate."
"The scouts already know their positions. Have them approach from above and release the bombs when they pass the marked points. They do not need to destroy the entire structure. Breaking the upper sections will make it harder for the defenders to use them as cover already."
The crews began preparing the gliders while the three assault groups continued moving into position. Her plan was progressing well for now.
Major Lee returned to headquarters on the top of the wall expecting General Sung to reprimand him for the failed attack. Instead, the general listened to his report in silence, his expression tired rather than angry.
"I am disappointed that it did not work, Major." Sung said once Lee finished. "I believed you made the right decision, against their superior weapons there is no choice for us but to thin their numbers until they cannot fight anymore. I was wrong to deny an assault."
"They were already prepared for us, sir." Lee replied. "Their armored vehicles and Komodo Rhinos were guarding both sides, and they reinforced one flank before moving those soldiers to the other. We never saw the weapons attacking the walls, which leads me to believe they are further back, their range is beyond what we imagined."
Sung looked toward the wall as another explosion shook the ground.
"Their infantry have other weapons as well." Lee continued. "Soldiers carrying long metal and wooden weapons. They can kill from farther away than our earthbenders can attack, and they were powerful enough to break through stone cover after repeated hits."
"I see. I'm going to be honest here, it is looking very bleak, Major." Sung frowned.
"Yes, General. If the outer wall falls, a second wall alone will not hold them. Their weapons will destroy it before our soldiers can use it properly."
"Then what do you suggest?"
"Rows of fighting ditches behind each damaged section." Lee said. "Deep enough to protect the soldiers from direct fire, with tunnels connecting them. A long wall gives their guns one large target. Smaller positions would limit their line of sight and reduce how many men are caught by each explosion."
Sung considered the map in front of him.
"We will build both," he decided. "A second wall to slow their advance, with your positions behind it."
"The wall may still be useful as cover." Lee agreed. "We also need to use our numbers before they can settle themselves inside."
"You intend to assault them?"
"We cannot remain in the defensive, their weapons would just kill our men left and right while they just sit there waiting. We must take the fight to them. Have the crews extend tunnels forward from the ditches so that we can attack their positions as soon as they enter."
Sung nodded slowly. "We could allow them to spread a bit first though, if those weapons have more range that we can handle, they might stay at the breaches creating a choke point for our forces, we won't be able to assault with huge numbers otherwise."
"You are right, I agree. We need to force them into close quarters where their range matters less and overwhelm their weapons with enough men to bury them."
"Then begin preparing it immediately." Sung said. "More troops have already been requested from the inner districts. The Dai Li have already sent a message, they are sending reserves in case the situation worsens."
Lee was not reassured by that information at all. The amount of the bodies already being carried away from the wall was growing, he paled to think how many more soldiers would soon be in the same position as them. Sung seemed to share the concern.
"I have been dreading the number of lives this defense will cost us." the general admitted. "But we have to stop them at all cost, if they take the Agrarian Zone the war is all but over for the city. They will starve us to death."
"Speaking of food, we need to build stores and deposits underground as well, if more soldiers are coming in we will have issues feeding everyone fighting."
"Yes, they are already underway. Although I imagine we will still need to ration as much as we can."
Another shell struck nearby, making the lamps sway and sending dust down from the supports above them.
"Another thing. We are moving headquarters farther back, we are abandoning the walls." Sung continued. "The command post will be placed underground where their flying machines cannot observe it and their bombs are less likely to reach us."
"That will make communication with the front slower." Lee commented.
"It will, but losing the entire command staff would be worse. Messengers will carry orders through tunnels."
Sung pointed to the three damaged sections marked on the map.
"We will coordinate with the sixteen officers assigned to these defenses. Begin with the row of ditches and connecting tunnels, then support the crews building the inner walls. Further orders will come once headquarters have been relocated."
Lee studied the positions and the routes available beneath them. They had little time, and the bombardment was already forcing the workers away from parts of the wall.
"I will begin immediately." he said.
Sung nodded. "Do what you can, Major."
Lee gathered the maps and left the tent to find the other officers. If the Fire Nation breached the wall within the day, every defensive position would need to be ready as fast as they could.
Colonel Zhou stood near the front of his division fiddling with the vambraces of his armor. The bombardment had continued through the entire day, and every impact against the wall tightened something in his chest.
The soldiers around him had been ready for hours. Armor had been checked, weapons cleaned and prepared and supply packs secured. The rhinos waited ahead of him, their handlers struggling to keep them calm whenever the ground shook beneath them.
They would have to advance inside the walls any minute now. Once the wall opened, his battalion would follow the rhinos and Tanks through the breach and enter Ba Sing Se. They had fought Earth Kingdom armies before, but never this many soldiers and never inside a city large enough to hold millions of people.
He looked across the ranks. Most of the men stood quietly, watching the dust covering the wall. A few spoke to one another, though he couldn't hear a word of their conversations. They were prepared, but Zhou could still see the same anxiety he felt in their eyes. Some held their weapons too tightly, while others kept adjusting armor that was already properly secured.
He could not blame them. The Earth Kingdom would defend every inch once they entered, and the scouts had already made it clear that they would be facing heavy resistance. Even if the defenders had been disorganized so far, they still outnumbered the Fire Nation several times over. The fight inside would be bloody and many of them wouldn't return home.
A deafening sound, different from the shells, broke his thoughts. The ground shook harder than before, and a deep cracking sound followed the explosions. Zhou looked up as the dust cloud rose above the battlements and spread across the sky.
The cracking continued beneath the sound of the artillery. Large sections of stone began sliding inward, followed by more of the wall above them. The collapse grew until the noise drowned out the officers shouting to one another.
After an entire day of bombardment, the walls of Ba Sing Se finally fell. Zhou drew his breath, channeling his inner fire, he roared, flames spewing out of his mouth, cheering his soldiers on.
"Hooraaaah!"
Art made by Clero again.
Enjoy,
Luce
99 A.G
Major Lee emerged from the tunnel with the first half of his force and ordered the earthbenders to continue moving along the flank. The other group had taken a separate route toward the opposite side of the Fire Nation formation that had yet to move, and both forces were expected to attack at the agreed time.
There was no way to communicate between them now, so Lee had to trust that they would follow the plan. The constant bombardment against the wall concealed the sound of their movement. Each distant explosion shook the ground beneath them while the earthbenders closed the tunnel entrance and advanced behind low barriers of stone.
They had managed to leave the city without being noticed, but the advantage disappeared once they reached the final rise overlooking the enemy flank. The Fire Nation forces were already prepared for them.
Armored rhinos patrolled across the open ground while armored rolling vehicles guarded the spaces between them. Infantry and firebenders waited farther behind, positioned where they could quickly support either part of the line. Lee had expected some protection around the flank, but the number of troops made it clear that the Fire Nation had anticipated an attack.
"They knew we would come this way." one of his captains said.
Lee looked toward the opposite side of the battlefield, but the wall, dust and distance prevented him from seeing the second half of his forces. They would probably be reaching their own position at that moment.
If Lee withdrew without attacking, the others would advance alone and have no way of knowing that the plan had changed. They would be decimated if they were left alone.
"We continue forward." he said. "Focus on the armored vehicles first. Break the ground beneath the rhinos and do not waste your strength striking them directly; we won't be able to pierce them. If we have an opening our infantry can push forward to engage in close quarters."
His officers passed the order through the army. The earthbenders spread across the flank and prepared their attacks while the Fire Nation soldiers began turning toward them. Lee raised his arm and gave the signal to attack.
The first line struck the ground together, sending large stones toward the tanks and rhinos. The rocks crashed against metal and armor, but the rhinos barely slowed. Their hides were too thick for the smaller projectiles to pierce, and the parts that had armor on them would be less likely to break, while their weight made it difficult to knock them aside.
The animals rushed forward before the earthbenders could prepare a second attack. Several soldiers opened cracks beneath their feet and raised columns of stone in their path, but the rhinos broke through most of the obstacles or moved around them.
One stumbled when its front legs sank into a trench, throwing its rider onto the ground, while the others continued into their lines. Lee's soldiers tried to stop them with raised walls and spikes, but the animals easily head-butted them.
The first rhino broke through one of them and scattered the men behind it, forcing the surrounding earthbenders to separate before they were trampled. Another was struck from below by a large section of rock, though the attack only pushed it sideways before it recovered.
Firebenders atop the animals were already throwing fireballs at them. A few of them were using spears and bows, and some were even throwing small explosives at them.
"Attack the ground beneath them!" Lee shouted. "Trap their legs!"
The armored vehicles began moving forward behind the rhinos. Lee and several earthbenders concentrated on the closest one, raising the earth beneath one of its tracks until the vehicle tilted and rolled onto its side. Another group managed to overturn a second tank farther along the line, and for a moment Lee believed they might open enough space to reach the soldiers behind them.
The Fire Nation infantry and firebenders came out quickly behind the vehicles before they could take advantage of it. Flames passed between the rhinos, forcing the earthbenders to raise cover or retreat from the disabled tanks.
The infantry followed closely, using the animals and vehicles as protection while closing the distance. Lee sent a slab of stone through the flames and struck two soldiers, but more immediately took their place.
Around him, his men were being forced apart by the rhinos and the armored vehicles were protecting the firebenders behind them, while the Fire Nation line continued to grow stronger.
Additional cracks and explosions joined the sounds coming from the wall. Lee first believed they were echoes from the bombardment, but then he noticed soldiers farther behind the main line holding long wooden and metal sticks against their shoulders.
Small flashes appeared at their ends, followed by sharp pops that blended with the artillery striking Ba Sing Se in the distance. Earthbenders began falling without any fire or stone reaching them and some were screaming injured without anyone close to them.
"Raise walls and move toward the rear!" Lee ordered.
Several barriers rose between his force and the distant soldiers, but pieces of stone broke away each time the weapons fired. Lee did not understand how they worked, though it was clear that the Fire Nation had developed another weapon capable of killing from far beyond normal bending range.
Most importantly, the major realized soon that the attack was failing. His earthbenders had overturned several tanks and injured some of the rhinos, but they had not broken through the flank. Firebenders and infantry now filled the spaces behind the animals, while the soldiers with the unfamiliar weapons continued firing from a safe distance.
Lee looked again toward the opposite flank. He could see dust and occasional flames rising there, which meant the second group had begun its attack. If the Fire Nation had prepared the same defenses on both sides, they were likely suffering the same losses.
He could not continue throwing his men against a position they had no chance of breaking.
"Begin withdrawing toward the tunnel, come on!" Lee ordered. "Move the wounded first and keep raising cover behind us."
The earthbenders and infantrymen nearest the rear started moving back while the others remained in position. Lee raised a wall in front of an approaching rhino, then collapsed the ground beneath it when the animal struck the stone. It stumbled long enough for the soldiers around him to retreat several more steps.
The Fire Nation continued pressing forward, but the broken ground prevented the rhinos from building enough speed for another full charge. Lee's men used the uneven terrain to slow them further, raising stones and collapsing sections of earth while they moved back toward the tunnel.
The unfamiliar weapons continued breaking pieces from their cover. Lee saw two soldiers fall beside him, but there was no time to recover everyone. He ordered the remaining earthbenders to keep moving and stayed near the front of the formation, attacking whenever the Fire Nation came close enough.
The tunnel entrance remained open behind them, though they still had a considerable distance to cover. Lee could only continue the retreat and hope the force on the opposite flank had reached the same conclusion before it was surrounded.
Major Lee emerged from the tunnel with the first half of his force and ordered the earthbenders to continue moving along the flank. The other group had taken a separate route toward the opposite side of the Fire Nation formation that had yet to move, and both forces were expected to attack at the agreed time.
There was no way to communicate between them now, so Lee had to trust that they would follow the plan. The constant bombardment against the wall concealed the sound of their movement. Each distant explosion shook the ground beneath them while the earthbenders closed the tunnel entrance and advanced behind low barriers of stone.
They had managed to leave the city without being noticed, but the advantage disappeared once they reached the final rise overlooking the enemy flank. The Fire Nation forces were already prepared for them.
Armored rhinos patrolled across the open ground while armored rolling vehicles guarded the spaces between them. Infantry and firebenders waited farther behind, positioned where they could quickly support either part of the line. Lee had expected some protection around the flank, but the number of troops made it clear that the Fire Nation had anticipated an attack.
"They knew we would come this way." one of his captains said.
Lee looked toward the opposite side of the battlefield, but the wall, dust and distance prevented him from seeing the second half of his forces. They would probably be reaching their own position at that moment.
If Lee withdrew without attacking, the others would advance alone and have no way of knowing that the plan had changed. They would be decimated if they were left alone.
"We continue forward." he said. "Focus on the armored vehicles first. Break the ground beneath the rhinos and do not waste your strength striking them directly; we won't be able to pierce them. If we have an opening our infantry can push forward to engage in close quarters."
His officers passed the order through the army. The earthbenders spread across the flank and prepared their attacks while the Fire Nation soldiers began turning toward them. Lee raised his arm and gave the signal to attack.
The first line struck the ground together, sending large stones toward the tanks and rhinos. The rocks crashed against metal and armor, but the rhinos barely slowed. Their hides were too thick for the smaller projectiles to pierce, and the parts that had armor on them would be less likely to break, while their weight made it difficult to knock them aside.
The animals rushed forward before the earthbenders could prepare a second attack. Several soldiers opened cracks beneath their feet and raised columns of stone in their path, but the rhinos broke through most of the obstacles or moved around them.
One stumbled when its front legs sank into a trench, throwing its rider onto the ground, while the others continued into their lines. Lee's soldiers tried to stop them with raised walls and spikes, but the animals easily head-butted them.
The first rhino broke through one of them and scattered the men behind it, forcing the surrounding earthbenders to separate before they were trampled. Another was struck from below by a large section of rock, though the attack only pushed it sideways before it recovered.
Firebenders atop the animals were already throwing fireballs at them. A few of them were using spears and bows, and some were even throwing small explosives at them.
"Attack the ground beneath them!" Lee shouted. "Trap their legs!"
The armored vehicles began moving forward behind the rhinos. Lee and several earthbenders concentrated on the closest one, raising the earth beneath one of its tracks until the vehicle tilted and rolled onto its side. Another group managed to overturn a second tank farther along the line, and for a moment Lee believed they might open enough space to reach the soldiers behind them.
The Fire Nation infantry and firebenders came out quickly behind the vehicles before they could take advantage of it. Flames passed between the rhinos, forcing the earthbenders to raise cover or retreat from the disabled tanks.
The infantry followed closely, using the animals and vehicles as protection while closing the distance. Lee sent a slab of stone through the flames and struck two soldiers, but more immediately took their place.
Around him, his men were being forced apart by the rhinos and the armored vehicles were protecting the firebenders behind them, while the Fire Nation line continued to grow stronger.
Additional cracks and explosions joined the sounds coming from the wall. Lee first believed they were echoes from the bombardment, but then he noticed soldiers farther behind the main line holding long wooden and metal sticks against their shoulders.
Small flashes appeared at their ends, followed by sharp pops that blended with the artillery striking Ba Sing Se in the distance. Earthbenders began falling without any fire or stone reaching them and some were screaming injured without anyone close to them.
"Raise walls and move toward the rear!" Lee ordered.
Several barriers rose between his force and the distant soldiers, but pieces of stone broke away each time the weapons fired. Lee did not understand how they worked, though it was clear that the Fire Nation had developed another weapon capable of killing from far beyond normal bending range.
Most importantly, the major realized soon that the attack was failing. His earthbenders had overturned several tanks and injured some of the rhinos, but they had not broken through the flank. Firebenders and infantry now filled the spaces behind the animals, while the soldiers with the unfamiliar weapons continued firing from a safe distance.
Lee looked again toward the opposite flank. He could see dust and occasional flames rising there, which meant the second group had begun its attack. If the Fire Nation had prepared the same defenses on both sides, they were likely suffering the same losses.
He could not continue throwing his men against a position they had no chance of breaking.
"Begin withdrawing toward the tunnel, come on!" Lee ordered. "Move the wounded first and keep raising cover behind us."
The earthbenders and infantrymen nearest the rear started moving back while the others remained in position. Lee raised a wall in front of an approaching rhino, then collapsed the ground beneath it when the animal struck the stone. It stumbled long enough for the soldiers around him to retreat several more steps.
The Fire Nation continued pressing forward, but the broken ground prevented the rhinos from building enough speed for another full charge. Lee's men used the uneven terrain to slow them further, raising stones and collapsing sections of earth while they moved back toward the tunnel.
The unfamiliar weapons continued breaking pieces from their cover. Lee saw two soldiers fall beside him, but there was no time to recover everyone. He ordered the remaining earthbenders to keep moving and stayed near the front of the formation, attacking whenever the Fire Nation came close enough.
The tunnel entrance remained open behind them, though they still had a considerable distance to cover. Lee could only continue the retreat and hope the force on the opposite flank had reached the same conclusion before it was surrounded.
Lin watched the fighting from the top of the tank while hawks and messengers moved between her three divisions currently engaged in fights, carrying orders around. The Earth Kingdom had attacked both flanks at nearly the same time, confirming that the tunnels had been prepared in advance and that the two forces were following a coordinated plan.
Their numbers were greater than Lin had expected. Thousands of earthbenders had emerged on each side, using raised ground and sliding stones to close the distance quickly. The tanks and rhinos had stopped their first charge, but the fighting had spread across both flanks and was forcing her army to divide its attention.
"The left flank is holding, General." one of the messengers reported. "Colonel Mongke has stopped their advance, but they are still pressing him."
"And the right side?"
"They overturned four tanks and damaged two more. Captain Kaida is asking for reinforcements."
Lin looked toward the right flank. Dust covered much of the battlefield, though she could still see rocks rising between the tanks and bursts of fire coming from the infantry behind them. The earthbenders had managed to reach the formation before the line had fully adjusted, and several groups were trying to break through toward the center.
"Send the first rifle company to our right flank." Lin ordered. "Move three firebender units with them. The eastern flank will hold its current position and avoid advancing."
Azula stood beside her on the tank, watching the messengers repeat the orders through flags.
"You are leaving Mongke to hold them off almost on his own." she said.
"I trust the colonel. He only needs to stop them from moving farther." Lin replied. "Their forces were quicker on the right flank, and moved deeper into our position. If we break them first, they will have no space to retreat and we can easily turn to the left flank once they are dealt with."
The reinforcements began moving behind the central line. Riflemen formed two rows between the tanks while the firebenders spread around them, using the vehicles for cover as they approached the frontline.
Lin raised her telescope. The Earth Kingdom soldiers continued pushing forward, probably believing that they had weakened the defense by overturning several tanks. They had entered the open ground between the Fire Nation formations and were now too far from their tunnels to withdraw quickly.
Azula smiled. "We could set up a trap for them, make them believe they are breaking through."
"You are right, princess. Signal Captain Kaida." Lin said. "Have her give ground slowly and draw them farther in. The tanks on the inner side will turn toward them once the riflemen are in position. Have them open fire once our men begin moving back."
The right flank began withdrawing several steps at a time. Firebenders released short volleys before moving back, while the remaining tanks moved backward, keeping their front armor toward the advancing earthbenders.
The enemy followed using stone platforms to maintain their speed. Once the last riflemen reached their assigned position, Lin gave the order and watched the slaughter unfold before her. The tanks fired together, decimating Earth Kingdom forces.
Riflemen opened fire from behind them, striking earthbenders who had been focused on the soldiers retreating ahead. The additional firebenders moved around the opposite side and closed the space between the enemy and their tunnels.
The earthbenders tried to raise walls, but they were being attacked from three directions. Some attempted to break through toward the center, only to find more infantry waiting behind the tanks. Others turned back toward the tunnels and encountered the firebenders cutting across their retreat.
"Advance the right line further." Lin ordered. "Keep the pressure on them but don't pursue them inside the tunnels."
Azula glanced at her. "You are allowing them to escape?"
"They can easily collapse the tunnels with our forces inside of them, I would rather not risk that, even if they are disorganized and desperately retreating."
The Fire Nation soldiers continued closing around the earthbenders while leaving corpses behind. Several enemy soldiers broke into a run, back toward their tunnels. Although some of them kept them at bay using walls and stone slabs to cover for the retreating soldiers.
The rhinos that were left kept charging at them, and the riflemen fired into the disorganized group behind the soldiers without mercy. Not many would be left alive to get into the tunnels. The earthbenders raised barriers and tried to force them back, but they no longer had enough of them to cover for everyone.
Within minutes, their formations collapsed under the continuing fire. Within several minutes, the right flank attack had been defeated. Some earthbenders surrendered, while the remaining soldiers tried to retreat in smaller groups. Most were stopped before reaching the tunnels.
Lin turned toward the left flank now, ready to move her forces around. From her position, she could see that Mongke had managed to stall the attack well, and the tanks they had were not in a bad shape either.
"Move the first rifle company and half of the supporting firebenders to Mongke's position. Have the infantry execute the ones who surrendered, we are not taking prisoners today." Lin said.
The soldiers crossed behind the central formation while the left flank defenders continued holding their ground. Mongke and his rhinos had prevented the second Earth Kingdom force from reaching the infantry, though several animals had been injured and one lay dead near the front.
The earthbenders had already begun withdrawing when the reinforcements arrived. They had probably realized that they couldn't break through, but they were still too far from their tunnel entrance to escape before the Fire Nation line advanced.
"Push them back, concentrate on causing as many casualties as we can." Lin ordered. "Force them toward the center and surround them. Ignore the ones who manage to break away."
The rhinos and tanks moved forward at a controlled pace while the firebenders followed behind them. Rocks struck against their armor and hides, but the animals continued advancing. Firebenders attacked over and around them, preventing the earthbenders from gathering enough force for another organized charge.
The rifle company reached the flank and began firing from behind the tanks. The remaining Earth Kingdom soldiers tried to separate, with some moving toward the tunnel while others attempted to draw the Fire Nation away. Neither group managed to travel far intact and the battle ended shortly after.
Lin's officers began reporting the losses while soldiers recovered the wounded and secured the prisoners to terminate later on. Several tanks had been overturned, and two had suffered damage to their tracks and lower armor.
They could be repaired, though one vehicle would need to be taken back to the railway workshop. The rhino company had also lost a few of their riders and animals during the first attack, while the infantry had suffered casualties when the earthbenders reached their lines.
The losses were not insignificant, but the Earth Kingdom had committed a much larger force and achieved nothing. Their speed had allowed them to reach the flanks quickly, though remaining in the open after the first charge had decided the battle.
The bombardment against Ba Sing Se had continued throughout the fighting. Railway shells struck the wall at regular intervals, followed by the faster barrage from the field artillery. Dust covered the lower sections entirely, and each impact sent another tremor beneath Lin's feet.
She looked toward the wall through her telescope. The gliders continued passing between the artillery and the target, and the signals indicated that the guns were still striking the correct areas.
"Have the damaged units brought into reserve and see if they can begin repairing the tanks." Lin ordered. "The rest of the army will maintain these positions while the engineers clear the ground."
Azula looked toward the wall. "You think it will fall soon?"
"The lower sections have already taken several hours of continuous fire." Lin replied. "We should begin preparing the assault groups now."
The enemy had failed to break her forces, and she didn't expect them to try another attack. Unless General Sung sent another army into the open toward their artillery, and she very much doubted that, nothing remained to interrupt the bombardment.
Lin then made her officers reorganize their units and prepare the rhinos and the earthbender units for the breaches. Azula had come up with the idea to use their small number of earthbenders to prepare the ground so that tanks could storm the breaches better.
Once everything was ready, Lin ordered the Fourth Army to divide into three assault groups, each positioned opposite one of the sections being targeted by the railway guns.
The tanks and infantry moved first, while the rhino companies remained close behind them, ready to advance once the wall collapsed. The two Riflemen companies were split into three platoons for each breach and firebenders filled the rest of the gaps.
Although the dust cloud and explosions from the constant shelling were hiding much of their movements, Lin wanted to make it even harder for the defenders to see what her army was doing.
"Prepare all gliders for another flight." she ordered. "Have them carry coal in them and grenades. We will throw them as close to the wall as possible in a line."
Colonel Zhou looked toward the wall through her telescope. "General, why are we wasting coal?"
"The grenades will burn it, creating a thick black smoke. They already have difficulty seeing through the dust. Black smoke will make it impossible for them to watch our moves."
"Ah, I see. At once!"
The first group launched soon after. Each glider carried sacks of coal tied beneath its frame, along with several grenades. They flew high enough to avoid most of the rocks thrown from the battlements before releasing their loads over the damaged sections and along the wall as well.
The grenades exploded among the coal, scattering black powder through the air and igniting parts of it. Thick smoke rose in front of the wall and mixed with the dust from the artillery impacts. True, they wouldn't be able to see much themselves, but Lin was sure they would be in too much chaos with the collapse of the wall to focus on attacking them at first.
Lin also remained confident that the wall would soon collapse. The railway shells had struck the same points for hours, and every report from the scouts confirmed that the damage was spreading upward. The defenders could no longer approach the base safely, while the smoke prevented them from seeing how close the Fire Nation forces had moved.
Two hours later, a glider returned from the wall and began signaling. Lin raised her telescope and followed the light pattern, writing down the message from the scouts.
"They are reinforcing the breaches, the enemy is aware their walls will collapse soon." she relayed.
"What are they doing?" Azula asked.
"They are building smaller stone walls behind the damaged sections. The scouts also said that large groups of soldiers were moving from the direction of the inner city."
"How many?"
"The signal only says that the whole agrarian zone is full of them. They are preparing a large defensive force behind all three positions. They will probably try to assault us in waves to overwhelm and encircle us."
Lin opened a small map she had hand drawn earlier, and studied the plan she had put together. She added the walls. Lin wanted the Earth Kingdom to keep focusing on defense instead of forcing an attack on them.
They could easily spot them from above and just wait for the artillery to soften them up, probably firing 200 meters in front of her forces. Once the barrage was done with, they could coordinate an advance with her ground troops and the field artillery and little by little win the territory over until they surrendered or broke down due to low morale.
"Arm the next gliders with bombs, Captain." Lin ordered. "Their targets are the new walls behind each breach."
Captain Aiku hesitated. "The smoke may make them difficult to locate."
"The scouts already know their positions. Have them approach from above and release the bombs when they pass the marked points. They do not need to destroy the entire structure. Breaking the upper sections will make it harder for the defenders to use them as cover already."
The crews began preparing the gliders while the three assault groups continued moving into position. Her plan was progressing well for now.
Major Lee returned to headquarters on the top of the wall expecting General Sung to reprimand him for the failed attack. Instead, the general listened to his report in silence, his expression tired rather than angry.
"I am disappointed that it did not work, Major." Sung said once Lee finished. "I believed you made the right decision, against their superior weapons there is no choice for us but to thin their numbers until they cannot fight anymore. I was wrong to deny an assault."
"They were already prepared for us, sir." Lee replied. "Their armored vehicles and Komodo Rhinos were guarding both sides, and they reinforced one flank before moving those soldiers to the other. We never saw the weapons attacking the walls, which leads me to believe they are further back, their range is beyond what we imagined."
Sung looked toward the wall as another explosion shook the ground.
"Their infantry have other weapons as well." Lee continued. "Soldiers carrying long metal and wooden weapons. They can kill from farther away than our earthbenders can attack, and they were powerful enough to break through stone cover after repeated hits."
"I see. I'm going to be honest here, it is looking very bleak, Major." Sung frowned.
"Yes, General. If the outer wall falls, a second wall alone will not hold them. Their weapons will destroy it before our soldiers can use it properly."
"Then what do you suggest?"
"Rows of fighting ditches behind each damaged section." Lee said. "Deep enough to protect the soldiers from direct fire, with tunnels connecting them. A long wall gives their guns one large target. Smaller positions would limit their line of sight and reduce how many men are caught by each explosion."
Sung considered the map in front of him.
"We will build both," he decided. "A second wall to slow their advance, with your positions behind it."
"The wall may still be useful as cover." Lee agreed. "We also need to use our numbers before they can settle themselves inside."
"You intend to assault them?"
"We cannot remain in the defensive, their weapons would just kill our men left and right while they just sit there waiting. We must take the fight to them. Have the crews extend tunnels forward from the ditches so that we can attack their positions as soon as they enter."
Sung nodded slowly. "We could allow them to spread a bit first though, if those weapons have more range that we can handle, they might stay at the breaches creating a choke point for our forces, we won't be able to assault with huge numbers otherwise."
"You are right, I agree. We need to force them into close quarters where their range matters less and overwhelm their weapons with enough men to bury them."
"Then begin preparing it immediately." Sung said. "More troops have already been requested from the inner districts. The Dai Li have already sent a message, they are sending reserves in case the situation worsens."
Lee was not reassured by that information at all. The amount of the bodies already being carried away from the wall was growing, he paled to think how many more soldiers would soon be in the same position as them. Sung seemed to share the concern.
"I have been dreading the number of lives this defense will cost us." the general admitted. "But we have to stop them at all cost, if they take the Agrarian Zone the war is all but over for the city. They will starve us to death."
"Speaking of food, we need to build stores and deposits underground as well, if more soldiers are coming in we will have issues feeding everyone fighting."
"Yes, they are already underway. Although I imagine we will still need to ration as much as we can."
Another shell struck nearby, making the lamps sway and sending dust down from the supports above them.
"Another thing. We are moving headquarters farther back, we are abandoning the walls." Sung continued. "The command post will be placed underground where their flying machines cannot observe it and their bombs are less likely to reach us."
"That will make communication with the front slower." Lee commented.
"It will, but losing the entire command staff would be worse. Messengers will carry orders through tunnels."
Sung pointed to the three damaged sections marked on the map.
"We will coordinate with the sixteen officers assigned to these defenses. Begin with the row of ditches and connecting tunnels, then support the crews building the inner walls. Further orders will come once headquarters have been relocated."
Lee studied the positions and the routes available beneath them. They had little time, and the bombardment was already forcing the workers away from parts of the wall.
"I will begin immediately." he said.
Sung nodded. "Do what you can, Major."
Lee gathered the maps and left the tent to find the other officers. If the Fire Nation breached the wall within the day, every defensive position would need to be ready as fast as they could.
Colonel Zhou stood near the front of his division fiddling with the vambraces of his armor. The bombardment had continued through the entire day, and every impact against the wall tightened something in his chest.
The soldiers around him had been ready for hours. Armor had been checked, weapons cleaned and prepared and supply packs secured. The rhinos waited ahead of him, their handlers struggling to keep them calm whenever the ground shook beneath them.
They would have to advance inside the walls any minute now. Once the wall opened, his battalion would follow the rhinos and Tanks through the breach and enter Ba Sing Se. They had fought Earth Kingdom armies before, but never this many soldiers and never inside a city large enough to hold millions of people.
He looked across the ranks. Most of the men stood quietly, watching the dust covering the wall. A few spoke to one another, though he couldn't hear a word of their conversations. They were prepared, but Zhou could still see the same anxiety he felt in their eyes. Some held their weapons too tightly, while others kept adjusting armor that was already properly secured.
He could not blame them. The Earth Kingdom would defend every inch once they entered, and the scouts had already made it clear that they would be facing heavy resistance. Even if the defenders had been disorganized so far, they still outnumbered the Fire Nation several times over. The fight inside would be bloody and many of them wouldn't return home.
A deafening sound, different from the shells, broke his thoughts. The ground shook harder than before, and a deep cracking sound followed the explosions. Zhou looked up as the dust cloud rose above the battlements and spread across the sky.
The cracking continued beneath the sound of the artillery. Large sections of stone began sliding inward, followed by more of the wall above them. The collapse grew until the noise drowned out the officers shouting to one another.
After an entire day of bombardment, the walls of Ba Sing Se finally fell. Zhou drew his breath, channeling his inner fire, he roared, flames spewing out of his mouth, cheering his soldiers on.
"Hooraaaah!"
Lucernello
This world has too many villains.
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Yessir! She said the field artillery was going to move to fire 200 meters in front of the army so that they can advance. They are also bombing the new set of walls on each breach with the gliders to make way. But the Earth Kingdom is building trenches and tunnels, which is what they are, even if we call them ditches now since they don't know French, heh. It's not going to be that easy for the Fire Nation, especially since the trenches can be done in a matter of minutes instead of hours it would take. Many new tactics to explore!
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LordCommand679
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Well I know for certain there is no way Lin would agree with letting the Dai Li get away scout free when she finds out they brainwash their own citizens especially women into submissive drones in a horrofic process cosidering she was in the Korean war and as a woman herself back then she is likely familiar with how horribly often women were mistreated worse than men during the war.
If anything, she would feel so disgusted by Feng she would make an example out of him. And also throttle the Earth King Kuei for letting such abomination against basic rights to continue all because he did not once in his life asked questions and blindly believed everything Feng said.
But hey on the bright side Lin would like Kuei's pet bear which would be a nostalgic reminder of her past life.
If anything, she would feel so disgusted by Feng she would make an example out of him. And also throttle the Earth King Kuei for letting such abomination against basic rights to continue all because he did not once in his life asked questions and blindly believed everything Feng said.
But hey on the bright side Lin would like Kuei's pet bear which would be a nostalgic reminder of her past life.
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Lucernello
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She would be disgusted indeed. She wouldn't leave them alive, like the Garrison Officer.
The Peat bear is nice, yes :3
LordCommand679
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Is that a reference I do not know?
Lucernello
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It's at the start of the story, and it is mentioned by Haru recently as well. Lin is reminded of a bad memory of her past life through the actions of this Garrison Officer and she kills him in an Agni Kai
Chapter 42 - War! War Galore!
New
Lucernello
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AN: Hello, this chapter was supposed to be two chapters... but... it's all in one now. A bit longer than usual!
Art made by Aurora. She posts some of her awesome art in the Discord if you want to join.
Enjoy,
Luce
Art made by Aurora. She posts some of her awesome art in the Discord if you want to join.
Enjoy,
Luce
99 A.G
Lin observed the battle from the forward command position as the Earth Kingdom counterattack began its assault. The first hours after the breaches had gone better than expected. Their earthbenders had done their job well and the tanks had advanced as soon as the rubble was cleared enough for them to pass.
The rhinos followed with infantry support, carrying troops into the opening before the defenders could reorganize properly. By the time the sun began to climb above the broken wall, the three breaches had connected into a single frontline inside Ba Sing Se's outer defenses.
Her own participation had been brief so far. Most of her work had been giving orders, redirecting units that had advanced too quickly, and managing the cleanup after they surrounded the first Earth Kingdom forces waiting beyond the wall.
Those soldiers had tried to hold the immediate area, probably hoping to delay them long enough for the inner forces to help them fast enough. They had been brave, but courage did not matter much when tanks, artillery, and trained elite units closed around them from three sides.
They left no prisoners and the dead had been left where they fell until the medics and labor crews could reach them. There were too many bodies already, and the true battle had barely begun. As Lin suspected, the enemy had not waited long to respond.
The Earth Kingdom did not have many good options. If they stayed on the defensive, the Fire Nation would continue moving artillery through the breaches and turn every prepared position into rubble. Bombarding them from a safe distance would have been too easy.
True, ammunition was not infinite, and the earthbenders could tunnel beneath their lines if they coordinated properly, but coordinating anything while explosives landed around them was difficult. It required them to ignore the horrors of modern warfare, something their armies were not prepared for.
Lin had not seen much evidence that Ba Sing Se's generals would be able to adapt to this kind of war. They were throwing men forward in response. Lines of Earth Kingdom infantry advanced between earthworks, trenches, raised barricades, and hastily built stone shields.
Earthbenders moved with them, lifting slabs to cover the approach while archers fired from farther behind their lines, but nothing that could really penetrate their tanks and defenses so far. The first wave had already been broken by tank fire and concentrated volleys from the rifle companies. The second was forming before the last men of the first had even stopped moving.
"This is turning very ugly." Captain Aiku shouted beside her over the sound of explosions.
"It will be worse." Lin replied. "I imagine they will continue attacking until they have no more reserves left."
Azula stood a little to Lin's side, escorted by two guards who had been ordered to remain at her side at all times. The princess was observing the battlefield with bright attention, taking in the artillery impacts, the tank movements, and the constant pushing and retreating of the front.
Explosions tore through the Earth Kingdom approach again, sending men and earthworks apart in the same burst of fire and smoke. Most people would have turned pale by now, seeing their deaths so close.
The battlefield beyond the wall was already filled with bodies, wounded men dragging themselves through mud, armor fragments, burned corpses, and torn limbs left behind. The sound was constant enough that individual screams became part of the larger noise.
Lin had seen soldiers with years of service go silent after less than this, yet Azula was smiling despite everything. It was astonishing to see and Lin really commended her fortitude to handle the terrible sight.
The princess seemed energized by the scale of the battle, on the outside, but she was sure that it was a facade in order to keep morale up. It was her job as a royal after all, and Lin would really commend her later on.
"Captain, inform Zhou to extend his defenses and prepare our own trenches with the metal sheets we brought. It will stop them from tunneling straight to our positions. And we are advancing our own lines until we reach that small hill. It will give us a great advantage." Lin ordered, looking ahead.
"At once." Aiku saluted, and departed in a dash.
As she returned her attention to the battlefield, she saw with her telescope that the enemy attack would slow their advance in most of the line, but she was sure they couldn't keep up forever. The tanks and firebenders held firm around the breaches, and the railway guns were being repositioned closer by the hour.
If the Earth Kingdom wanted to turn this into a contest of endurance, then Lin would let them spend themselves until their reserves weakened. This was about to become a meat grinder very quickly.
That was useful in one sense and dangerous in another. The Fire Nation could kill far more than it lost with its current position, but her victory would be threatened if her army became trapped in a stalemate. They didn't have enough forces to endure that long.
She needed to hold the breaches, bleed the counterattacks, and prepare a plan to break through once they exhausted enough of their forward forces. She was already thinking in a plan to paralyze their assaults and give her the opportunity to strike deeper into the agrarian zone.
Beyond the smoke, Lin saw the rows of trenches stretching across the battlefield. The sight was very familiar. So similar to her first life. The mud, the craters, exploding artillery shells that fell constantly, the sounds of agonizing screams, blood and limbs everywhere.
'Takes me back. The only thing missing are those useful Americans.' Lin thought with a tired sigh.
Lin observed the battle from the forward command position as the Earth Kingdom counterattack began its assault. The first hours after the breaches had gone better than expected. Their earthbenders had done their job well and the tanks had advanced as soon as the rubble was cleared enough for them to pass.
The rhinos followed with infantry support, carrying troops into the opening before the defenders could reorganize properly. By the time the sun began to climb above the broken wall, the three breaches had connected into a single frontline inside Ba Sing Se's outer defenses.
Her own participation had been brief so far. Most of her work had been giving orders, redirecting units that had advanced too quickly, and managing the cleanup after they surrounded the first Earth Kingdom forces waiting beyond the wall.
Those soldiers had tried to hold the immediate area, probably hoping to delay them long enough for the inner forces to help them fast enough. They had been brave, but courage did not matter much when tanks, artillery, and trained elite units closed around them from three sides.
They left no prisoners and the dead had been left where they fell until the medics and labor crews could reach them. There were too many bodies already, and the true battle had barely begun. As Lin suspected, the enemy had not waited long to respond.
The Earth Kingdom did not have many good options. If they stayed on the defensive, the Fire Nation would continue moving artillery through the breaches and turn every prepared position into rubble. Bombarding them from a safe distance would have been too easy.
True, ammunition was not infinite, and the earthbenders could tunnel beneath their lines if they coordinated properly, but coordinating anything while explosives landed around them was difficult. It required them to ignore the horrors of modern warfare, something their armies were not prepared for.
Lin had not seen much evidence that Ba Sing Se's generals would be able to adapt to this kind of war. They were throwing men forward in response. Lines of Earth Kingdom infantry advanced between earthworks, trenches, raised barricades, and hastily built stone shields.
Earthbenders moved with them, lifting slabs to cover the approach while archers fired from farther behind their lines, but nothing that could really penetrate their tanks and defenses so far. The first wave had already been broken by tank fire and concentrated volleys from the rifle companies. The second was forming before the last men of the first had even stopped moving.
"This is turning very ugly." Captain Aiku shouted beside her over the sound of explosions.
"It will be worse." Lin replied. "I imagine they will continue attacking until they have no more reserves left."
Azula stood a little to Lin's side, escorted by two guards who had been ordered to remain at her side at all times. The princess was observing the battlefield with bright attention, taking in the artillery impacts, the tank movements, and the constant pushing and retreating of the front.
Explosions tore through the Earth Kingdom approach again, sending men and earthworks apart in the same burst of fire and smoke. Most people would have turned pale by now, seeing their deaths so close.
The battlefield beyond the wall was already filled with bodies, wounded men dragging themselves through mud, armor fragments, burned corpses, and torn limbs left behind. The sound was constant enough that individual screams became part of the larger noise.
Lin had seen soldiers with years of service go silent after less than this, yet Azula was smiling despite everything. It was astonishing to see and Lin really commended her fortitude to handle the terrible sight.
The princess seemed energized by the scale of the battle, on the outside, but she was sure that it was a facade in order to keep morale up. It was her job as a royal after all, and Lin would really commend her later on.
"Captain, inform Zhou to extend his defenses and prepare our own trenches with the metal sheets we brought. It will stop them from tunneling straight to our positions. And we are advancing our own lines until we reach that small hill. It will give us a great advantage." Lin ordered, looking ahead.
"At once." Aiku saluted, and departed in a dash.
As she returned her attention to the battlefield, she saw with her telescope that the enemy attack would slow their advance in most of the line, but she was sure they couldn't keep up forever. The tanks and firebenders held firm around the breaches, and the railway guns were being repositioned closer by the hour.
If the Earth Kingdom wanted to turn this into a contest of endurance, then Lin would let them spend themselves until their reserves weakened. This was about to become a meat grinder very quickly.
That was useful in one sense and dangerous in another. The Fire Nation could kill far more than it lost with its current position, but her victory would be threatened if her army became trapped in a stalemate. They didn't have enough forces to endure that long.
She needed to hold the breaches, bleed the counterattacks, and prepare a plan to break through once they exhausted enough of their forward forces. She was already thinking in a plan to paralyze their assaults and give her the opportunity to strike deeper into the agrarian zone.
Beyond the smoke, Lin saw the rows of trenches stretching across the battlefield. The sight was very familiar. So similar to her first life. The mud, the craters, exploding artillery shells that fell constantly, the sounds of agonizing screams, blood and limbs everywhere.
'Takes me back. The only thing missing are those useful Americans.' Lin thought with a tired sigh.
Major Lee was sweating by the time the third casualty report reached his hands. The paper had been carried in by a messenger whose uniform was covered in soot and dust from the outer defensive lines.
He had run half the distance by the look of him, and once he gave the report to Lee, he bent forward with both hands on his knees, trying to recover his breath. Lee barely noticed him after opening the document.
The numbers were worse than he had feared. The first counterattack had failed to push the Fire Nation back through the breaches, and the second had barely managed to slow them before metal rolling machines and the random explosions forced the front to break apart again.
By the time the third wave was called back, almost forty percent of their whole attacking forces had either been killed or injured badly enough that they could no longer fight. It was an insane number.
Lee read them again, hoping that exhaustion had made him hallucinate it. Sadly, it didn't change the second time. Whole companies had been reduced to scattered groups of survivors. Some officers had disappeared with their men, and no one knew yet if they were dead, buried beneath rubble or captured.
He lowered the paper and rubbed his face with one hand, pinching his nose. Stress was already building and the pressure each major had was now evident in their faces as he took a look around the command bunker.
The good news was that they had mostly stopped the Fire Nation advance for now. But that was just about the only good they had done so far. Their men had managed to hold the next trench line and reinforce the side flanks before the enemy vehicles could spread deeper.
Earthbenders were already building new barriers, closing broken passages, and clearing the way to more trenches so that more of their reinforcements would be able to join them soon. And indeed, more soldiers were coming.
And although it would have been a relief sometime in the past, now it only made Lee wonder how many more would have to give their lives to protect Ba Sing Se. The reserves were being pulled from all over the city.
Garrison troops, palace guards, construction crews with basic weapons training, younger recruits who had probably never seen a battlefield before, and older men who had been given armor again after their retirement.
They needed to stop the Fire Nation and force them back at all costs, but he dreaded to think how many more would die before they could manage such a feat. Lee had seen what came back from the first two waves of assaults and he didn't want to imagine what the ones who hadn't returned would look like.
Men with burned faces, missing hands, broken ribs, and dead eyes that were lost somewhere far away. Medics had filled every aid station behind the line, and the wounded kept arriving faster than anyone could treat them.
Some were left against walls with cloth wrapped around whatever injury would stop them from bleeding out too quickly. Others screamed until their voices failed. It was terrible to see, but he had to inspect and take their accounts into consideration for the next assaults.
One thing was certain to Lee though. The Fire Nation would pay for this. They would have no mercy toward anyone who had breached the walls and caused so much death and suffering. Until the last of them was killed, he wouldn't rest.
If the city survived this, if they repelled the attack and drove them back beyond the wall, he swore they would make the Fire Nation remember every man they had killed here. Just then, a junior officer entered the command room and bowed quickly, cutting him off from his thoughts.
"Major, the next reserve group has reached the southern trench." he said.
He was about to answer when General Sung approached them.
"Good, relay the order for them to prepare for the next assault, corporal. We will not let them rest."
As the runner exited back toward the frontlines, Lee looked down at the map. The Fire Nation line was still too strong near the center. Their evil weapons still controlled a range of about 200 meters in front of the Fire Nation frontlines, and every direct assault had paid too much for too little.
But the side trenches had held better, and the earthbenders had almost completed the hidden route beneath the broken quarter. If they could strike from below while the next wave pressured the front, maybe they could force them to relocate parts of their forces and take advantage of their lower numbers.
"... and please tell me, Major Ban, why haven't you stopped the advance? Everywhere else in the frontlines we have managed to force them to a halt." General Sung was saying.
Lee looked again and indeed, the other officer had marked his lines and indeed they were retreating still.
"Sorry, General. The Evil Spirit has been spotted in that section. It is difficult to keep morale and some of our soldiers are not holding their ground. There are concerns about accounts of a small child by her side that was laughing, unsettling the soldiers who didn't want to rush ahead and attack as ordered." Ban said.
"See to it that they are punished and push your line, Major. I don't want any more excuses, otherwise we will be doomed if we cannot stop them here." Sung ordered.
"I will do my best, sir." Ban said, gritting his teeth.
Lee was already praying to the spirits that he wouldn't be assigned to that portion of the frontlines next if Ban continued to fail.
Aang had thought traveling with Haru would feel awkward at first, but he was happy it wasn't the case. It was also nice having someone else around who wanted to help. The earthbender had joined them just before they departed the village.
At first, Aang had been worried that Haru's father would stop him, or that Haru would change his mind once he spoke with his family. But Haru had been determined to join them from the moment Aang accidentally sent a gust of wind to block one of his rocks that Haru had sent his way by accident after complaining about his father again.
Of course, there had been no hiding the fact that he was the Avatar to him. Aang had tried to answer carefully, but Sokka had sighed and said there was no point pretending anymore, since the flying bison already made them the least normal travelers in the Earth Kingdom.
Haru had decided to come with them before the end of the day. His father had not been happy about it, but their relationship was already not great. Haru was particularly angry at his father for taking a defeated stance and choosing to wait the war out.
He had mentioned plenty of times how he didn't think the Fire Nation would be lenient with them once they won the war. If they didn't have any issues killing their own soldiers, they would do worse things to them once they were only focused on securing their already captured lands.
Haru then told them that cowering would not help anyone, and that if the Avatar was back, then someone had to help him. Aang did not know what to say to that. Part of him was glad, yet he didn't like how much pressure that phrase put him through.
They were flying north through a mountain range when Katara pointed ahead.
"What is that?"
Aang turned from where he was sitting near Appa's head. At first, he thought it was a shadow between the mountains, but the shape was too wide and too dark. It stretched across the land for kilometers, cutting through the forest like a wound that had never healed.
The trees ended all at once, giving way to black ground, burned trunks, and slopes covered in ash.
Sokka leaned over the saddle. "It's burned down.. The whole mountain range!"
Haru's face hardened. "Fire Nation."
Aang guided Appa lower without saying anything. The closer they came, the worse it became. The air smelled burned even from above, and pieces of ash moved across the open land whenever the wind passed through the valley.
Nothing green remained, and no animals were in sight. There was not even the sound of birds close by.
"Lower us here, friend." Aang said to Appa, softer than usual.
Appa landed near the edge of the burned area, his paws pressing into black soil that crumbled beneath him. Aang climbed down first and walked a few steps ahead. The ground gave under his sandals, turning to powder where he stepped. A tree trunk near him had split down the middle, its inside turned dark and brittle.
Katara joined him, holding one hand near her mouth. "Everything is gone."
Aang nodded, and although they had seen burned places before, nothing could compare to this place. It was too large, and it had spread so far that it painted a terrible scar on the whole landscape.
Haru crouched and touched the ash with his fingers. "Why would they set the forest on fire?"
"I mean, they are Fire Nation, why wouldn't they?" Sokka asked.
"This is horrible." Katara commented.
Aang turned toward the mountains, following the black scar as far as he could see. He tried to imagine what the forest had looked like before, with birds in the branches, animals moving through the brush, and sunlight falling through leaves instead of smoke.
Now there was only ash, broken stone, and the smell of decay. He could only feel sadness for the world. It kept showing him new wounds, and he did not know how he was supposed to heal all of them.
Lin instructed her army to hunker down and endure the relentless assaults. There was little else to do for the moment. The Earth Kingdom had committed too many forces for the Fire Nation to continue advancing without risking the line they had just established inside the walls.
Pulling troops back to rest was not possible either, because every time a section weakened, another wave of earthbenders and infantry tried to force their way through. The battle had become a contest of endurance earlier than she had hoped, and although the Fire Nation was killing far more than it lost, that advantage did not matter if exhaustion made her men break.
The Second Army had already moved into position under Major General Shinu. His troops were holding the northern section of the line, where the enemy had tried to widen the battle and force the Fire Nation to divide its attention.
Shinu had followed instructions well enough so far. He kept his men close to the defensive works, used his reserves carefully, and had not attempted some glorious charge that would only add his soldiers to the bodies in the field.
Lin was glad for that much. Both armies were needed just to hold their place inside the wall. The Fourth Army had taken the first shock of the counterattacks, and the men were showing the strain after days of constant fighting.
The Second Army gave them the numbers they needed to rotate companies before they were not combat effective anymore, but even that was not enough to create a proper rest schedule. The Earth Kingdom kept throwing men at them, something she was very familiar with.
At night, Lin had begun using decoys along the line. Her engineers and infantry had made doll-like soldiers out of spare uniforms, poles, helmets, broken armor plates, and sacks filled with dirt.
They were placed in firing positions after sundown, especially in the sections where she had withdrawn exhausted men to the rear to rest. From a distance, and under poor visibility, they gave the appearance of a fully manned defense.
It was not perfect, but it worked well enough. The enemy wasted arrows and stones, against false targets, and the men who remained awake had learned to keep movement minimal unless the whistles sounded.
The trick also let Lin conceal some troop rotations, which was becoming more important with every passing day. Anything that gave her soldiers even a few more hours of rest to conserve their strength was good enough.
There was good news among the reports, at least. Earth Kingdom morale was beginning to suffer. The few counterattacks Lin had authorized had worked better than expected, striking units preparing for an assault, exposing tunnel exits, and killing and taking positions in the trenches they had made themselves.
Those attacks had not gained much land, but they had inflicted heavy casualties and sowed fear in their enemies. Even if they had thrown an obscene amount of bodies, they were still able to push forward. Once the Earth Kingdom ran out of momentum, the Fire Nation could advance steadily again.
Until then, they needed to keep bleeding them. The artillery had been moved closer in stages and was now providing steadier fire support. The railway guns remained behind the wall for now, but field guns had been dragged forward under cover and placed behind reinforced positions.
Their crews worked constantly, firing on enemy trenches, bunkers, supply paths, and gathering points whenever glider scouts marked them. The gliders were also flying overhead through most daylight hours, carrying fresh bombs from the rear and striking the deeper Earth Kingdom lines whenever the weather allowed.
The pilots were tired, and the maintenance crew were worse. Lin had already ordered reserve engineers to be brought forward from the colonies with the next shipment of supplies, but at one point she would have to rotate them as well.
The biggest issue was still exhaustion. The Earth Kingdom had too many earthbenders and too many men. It was the Chinese all over again. Lin had prepared for that problem, but not at this scale.
The company of earthbenders under her command had proven valuable. Toph had taught them how to earthsense. They were far from her level, but they could still feel movement below the ground before ordinary soldiers noticed anything, and when the enemy came too close, they collapsed the tunnels or sealed them with enough force to crush whatever was inside.
It was effective work, brutal and necessary. More than once, the warning from those earthbenders had prevented an enemy unit from appearing behind or directly below their lines. Lin had already sent requests for more trained earthbenders from the colonies, but she doubted enough would arrive in time.
The tanks had been modified for this sort of fighting as well. She had ordered several of them prepared to throw liquid fire into enemy trenches and tunnel mouths. The weapon was horrific, but effective.
A trench that could absorb artillery and rifle fire became useless once burning liquid poured through it, and earthbenders had difficulty holding a position when the air itself became too hot to breathe. The problem was that she did not have enough modified tanks for the number of trenches before them. She needed to disable whole sections at once somehow, not one trench at a time.
For now though, Lin only needed to endure long enough to figure out how to break through. She needed something to paralyze their headquarters and break through fast enough that they wouldn't be able to reorganize their defense.
Colonel Zhou was horrified by the field before him. The dead had continued to gather in the open space between both armies, and there were now so many bodies that no one could properly count them while the battle continued.
Most wore Earth Kingdom green and brown, some wore Fire Nation red and black, and many were covered in enough mud and blood that their allegiance could only be guessed by the armor pieces around them.
While the Fire Nation wounded were rescued as soon as possible, their enemies suffered a worse fate. Those who could still move dragged themselves back toward their lines. Those who could not remain where they had fallen, calling for help that could rarely reach them before the next artillery barrage began.
The sounds around him never stopped. Explosions rolled across the field, men shouted orders, others called for medics. Some screamed from agony and a few were just mumbling in despair and shock.
The Earth Kingdom attacks were relentless. They came through trenches, over barricades, from tunnel mouths, and from broken streets beyond the line. Every time Zhou believed they had suffered enough to pause, another whistle sounded from their side and more soldiers appeared through the smoke.
He had heard stories of Ba Sing Se's endless numbers before, but he hadn't fully understood what that meant until today. This could barely be called a fight anymore.
Zhou had thought himself prepared for war. He had served for years. Battle after battle, he had fought, and witnessed men die before him. None of that had prepared him for this symphony of destruction.
The craters left by the artillery had filled with rainwater, blood, and mud. Some had bodies inside them, folded in positions that made his stomach tighten whenever his eyes passed over them. The stench had grown worse with every day.
Rotting corpses, burned flesh, smoke, waste, wet cloth, and oil, all mixed together until breathing itself became unpleasant. Their own soldiers were gagging at the sight and the smell. It had only been a little over a week since the assault began.
For a hundred years of war, a week was insignificant. But here, a single week had turned the land beyond the breached wall into a place that no one would ever want to remember. It was a nightmare come true.
All around him, soldiers were shaken, from both sides. Most kept fighting because their lives depended on it. Some just because the soldier by his side would be fighting as well. Zhou hoped everything would end soon.
A few of his soldiers had broken down completely and had to be taken off the line to recover before they became a danger to themselves or the men around them. Each soldier lost was a huge impact for them.
The elite rhino units had been pulled back after the first assaults. They had done well during the initial break through, when speed and shock still mattered, but this kind of battle gave them little space to work.
Trenches, craters and broken barricades made their usual tactics of rushing the enemy useless. Now they were being used to transport supplies from the trains to the rear positions, hauling ammunition, food, water, tools, and wounded men.
Their casualties were lower than he had expected, considering the scale of the battle, but exhaustion of the mind was becoming its own enemy. The Fire Nation had come prepared with Ephedra plants, boiled down and concentrated into ration mixtures that kept soldiers awake and active for far longer than normal.
The men called it bitter firewater, though there was no alcohol in it, and many carried the taste on their tongues through entire nights of fighting. It helped them remain alert, helped them march, helped them hold positions after hours that should have left them collapsed.
Zhou could see that now better than ever. The plants fought fatigue for a time, but their bodies still failed after too much stress, and too little sleep.Their minds began to fray behind their eyes.
Zhou forced himself to breathe through his mouth slowly. He did not want his soldiers to see the disgust on his face, nor the fear that came with it. He had to inspire and lead by example, no matter his own feelings.
A runner slid down into the trench beside him, boots landing hard in the mud. "Colonel, movement ahead! Earthbenders are opening another tunnel exit near the center!"
Before Zhou could answer, alarm whistles began screaming across the line. Officers shouted for companies to stand ready, and the artillery crews behind them began adjusting their guns before the first enemy soldiers were even visible.
Zhou swallowed the bitterness in his throat and focused.
"Here they come!" he shouted. "Hold the line!"
The men around him moved to obey, tired and filthy but still answering the order.
"Do not fear! For the Fire Nation!"
Azula had never experienced anything like this battle before. There was too much happening at once, and yet her mind wanted to take in all of it. The roar of the artillery, the whistles from the officers' warnings, the crash of stone barriers breaking apart, and the heat of firebending rushing past her arms.
She could hear screams from both armies reaching her ears, and the constant movement of soldiers around the trenches all pressed into her senses until she felt almost lightheaded from it. She should have found it overwhelming, and part of her did.
There were men dying everywhere she turned her attention. Earth Kingdom soldiers were thrown apart by explosions, crushed beneath collapsed defenses, or burned when the liquid fire tanks reached their trenches.
Fire Nation soldiers fell too, dragged back by their comrades with blood soaking through their uniforms while medics shouted for space that did not exist. The air smelled of smoke, blood, sweat, and churned earth.
Azula felt alive; suffering and agony clearly visible in her enemies. War was power made simple, without politics hiding what everyone wanted. Here, strength, orders and fear mattered most. The side that endured, killed, and broke the enemy first would decide the future.
And she was here, in the middle of it, fighting beside Lin. Her excitement was hard to keep under control. Lin had entered the battle with her personal unit when one section of the line was being assaulted without end, and Azula had gone with her.
There had been no hesitation this time, no instruction to remain behind, no reminder that she was too important to risk. Lin had allowed her beside her, and Azula intended to prove that the decision had been correct.
Blue fire burst from Azula's hands and struck the first earthbender trying to raise a wall across their advance. The man fell back before the barrier finished forming, and Lin's soldiers moved with her like a spear thrusting forward. Her fire guided the rest to push and breakthrough.
Another group tried to come from a tunnel mouth near the trench, but Lin's metal arm had already charged her signature move and was now pointing in that direction. The flames erupted and the screams echoed against the walls of the tunnel.
Azula couldn't keep the grin out of her face, and she laughed, for her joy was overwhelming her. Lin was as deadly as ever. Azula added her own fire where it was needed, striking at earthbenders, and anyone wearing green. She used her lightning as well, feeling the power go through her body.
The enemy kept trying to push forward, and each time they were repelled and attacked back. The company of rifles was now behind them as well, having moved to support them, probably after successfully repelling another assault somewhere else.
A rain of bullets flew past them with precision felling men in front of the princess. Lin then commanded her soldiers through smoke and death like a vengeful spirit who feared nothing. Azula understood then why the rumors had spread.
'Agni has blessed her indeed.'
Captain Kaida sat inside the trench with her back against the packed earth wall, breathing hard while the last sounds of the repelled assault faded into the distance. Her hands were still trembling from the effort, though she kept them pressed against her knees until they steadied.
Around her, soldiers were tired but had smiles on their faces. The wounded were not complaining, and morale had been boosted by this last battle's outcome.
The attack had nearly broken through their section. The Earth Kingdom had come from the front first, with infantry rushing through the trenches behind moving walls of stone, but the real danger had come from a tunnel opening near the left side of their position.
For a few terrible minutes, Kaida had thought they were about to be overrun. Then General Lin entered the battle with her personal unit, and the entire direction of the fight changed. Kaida had seen Lin fight before plenty of times, but seeing it this close to a front so brutal and still see her so unconcerned was stunning.
The general was deadly and gave no mercy, giving orders while fighting that cut through the noise and forced the soldiers around her to move without hesitation. Her metal limbs were blackened already, her coat had been left behind somewhere before the charge.
Princess Azula had been with her as well, and Kaida still didn't know what unsettled her more, the fact that the young royal had come to the front at all or the fact that she seemed almost pleased to be there.
Her blue flames were impossible to ignore. Every time they brought an enemy down, the soldiers around Kaida pushed harder, shouting and firing as if the princess being there had made all the difference.
Kaida had found herself shouting until her throat hurt.
"Support the general! Push forward! Don't let them fold us!"
Her soldiers under her command had answered fired up. Tired men who had been close to breaking had climbed back into position, ready to keep fighting. The firebenders advanced in pairs, covering each other while the infantry and archers picked targets left behind.
When the Earth Kingdom tried to pull back into the tunnel, one of Lin's earthbenders sealed it, and the rest of the enemy force was cut apart before they could reorganize. Now the attack was over, and the trench was still theirs and their position had advanced.
Kaida turned her head and saw the men around her recovering where they could. Some were drinking water, some were checking weapons, and others were helping the wounded toward the rear.
Even though she knew they were exhausted, they looked victorious and motivated. Two soldiers nearby were speaking in low voices, though not low enough to keep her from hearing.
"Did you see her?" one asked. "Agni's Wrath herself."
"She cut right through them without fearing anything. At this point I'm beginning to think death should be the one afraid of her instead."
"My cousin is a pilot on one of those gliders, and he said Agni blessed her after she fought a spirit."
'Agni's Wrath…'
The name had started moving through the line after the rumors after the wall fell. General Lin did not encourage it, from what Kaida had heard, but soldiers needed something to hold onto in a place like this.
If they believed their commander was blessed to strike down her enemies, then she knew it would help and give them confidence in their ability to win. Kaida did not know whether Agni had truly blessed the general, but no one could deny she was fearless and powerful.
After a few minutes, Kaida forced herself back to her feet. Rest would have to wait. The enemy would attack again, and before that happened, she needed everything ready, wounded moved, defensive positions built, and let a few of them rest to begin rotating soldiers around.
"Get up." Kaida ordered, her voice rough from shouting. "We build defenses now. If they come again, they find us ready."
The soldiers groaned but moved all the same, following her orders.
Major Lee was beginning to understand their enemy. The Fire Nation had not advanced recklessly after the first breach. That was what made them difficult to stop. They pushed forward only after repelling an attack, using the moments when Earth Kingdom units were withdrawing, reorganizing, counting survivors, replacing officers, and dragging wounded away from the front.
By the time their commanders realized the Fire Nation had moved, metal vehicles and infantry were already crossing the distance under the explosion's support that would weaken them first. It had happened enough times already that it was obvious to him.
Major Ban's latest attack had been reinforced by Colonel Osa's troops, giving them enough numbers to threaten the enemy line for a time. From the first reports, Lee had hoped they had finally forced a weakness.
Ban had hit the center while Osa pressured the right side, and for a few minutes, some messengers even claimed the Fire Nation was pulling back. Then the explosions began falling in on them again, and the vehicles moved through the dust clouds.
The attack had collapsed and their forces were shocked into retreating. Ban had managed to withdraw part of his force in order, but his casualties were heavy. Osa's unit had suffered worse. His men had been caught retreating when the Fire Nation counterattacked, and the colonel himself had been pulled back with a shattered leg, burns across his side, and enough blood loss that the healers were not certain he would survive the night.
Lee placed the latest report on the table. The situation was not quite dire yet, they still held a considerable force advantage. Even after being the bloodiest days the Earth Kingdom had ever seen, they still estimated that they outnumbered them eight to one. General Sung was not helping though.
The general had been walking back and forth inside the bunker for most of the last hour, shouting at messengers, demanding explanations from officers who had none, and snapping at anyone who tried to give him an answer he did not want to hear.
His face was red, his hair had come loose from its tie, and every new report seemed to push him closer to open panic.
"We are going to lose this war." Sung said, voice too loud for a command bunker already filled with runners and officers. "They are inside the wall, their guns are moving forward, and now Osa is nearly dead. If they bring more of those machines through the breach, we will not be able to stop them."
No one answered him, of course. There was nothing to say for he was being an incompetent loser at the moment. They still had advantages to play for and he was clearly giving up. He had sent a report to the Dai Li that hopefully would get rid of the General in time, but for now there was nothing to do about it but wait.
The officers continued moving papers, marking maps, sending runners, and pretending the general's fear had not infected everyone around him. Morale at headquarters was falling each time Sung spoke.
Men who had been determined in the morning now glanced at one another and hesitated. If this kept going, their command structure would fail horribly. Lee was done waiting for Sung to regain control.
He studied the map again, focusing on the timing of the Fire Nation counterattacks. There was a possibility to avoid their deadly advances by not committing the entirety of their forces to the assault, wearing them down slowly and still having defense positions ready.
They needed to stop giving the Fire Nation the exact opening they wanted, but assaulting their positions was still the best strategy, it just had to be done in smaller waves so that even if they did attack back, they would spend their forces even more.
He wrote down new orders while Sung kept pacing and muttering to himself. The next attack would withdraw earlier than expected, before the troops were too exhausted to move properly, and the next one would attack only at half strength and wait for the enemy to strike.
The retreat would leave gaps that seemed disorganized, but the reserve units hidden along the side trenches would be ready. Earthbenders could ambush them then and inflict casualties they were not expecting.
Once the Fire Nation realized their counterattacks were not working anymore they would probably switch to a different strategy, but he would gain time and their superior numbers would continue to grow.
Sung was still talking, his voice rising again as another officer tried to explain the state of the reserves. "...They will burn through every line we put before them. Do you understand that? We are feeding men into their wicked weapons."
Lee took the sealed orders from the table and stepped toward Major Ban, who had arrived only minutes earlier with dust on his armor and dried blood across one sleeve. Ban looked exhausted, but his eyes were still focused. Lee was sure he only needed better orders to be helpful.
"These are for you." Lee said, keeping his voice low enough that the rest of the bunker would not turn toward them at once.
Ban accepted the papers and opened them carefully. Lee did not look in General Sung's direction. If the general wanted to stop him, he could do it openly. If he only wanted to rant, Lee had no more time to spend on him.
Men were dying at the front while headquarters drowned itself in fear, and someone had to make a decision before the Fire Nation kept advancing.
Ban read the orders keeping a straight face. His brow tightened but that was the only reaction he gave. After a moment, he looked back to the map, compared the orders, and gave one firm nod.
"I understand." Ban said.
"Use the 49th reserve division, they are standing by."
"Good, what will you do?"
"I will head out with the 34th and what is left of the 17th soon and attack the northwest."
"Good luck."
Ban nodded, folded the orders and tucked them inside his armor before leaving the bunker quickly, ignoring the General completely. Sung kept speaking behind Lee, but the words no longer mattered as much.
Lee now had to coordinate his own offensive until the good general was relieved from duty. He hoped, for everyone's sake, that it would be soon.