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Post by Teᴙa253 on Jun 25, 2009 10:08:31 GMT -7
This is a very peculiar fic that I wrote one night/morning because I was bored, and I had had been tossing ideas around for a while. Basically, this is a fanfic of a fanfic, but all in all, like any of my fics, you don’t have to read others to understand this one. Basically, it’s an Alternate Universe of TOAS where the Avatar is the villain instead of “The Order”. As long as you remember that, it shouldn’t be too confusing. WATER TRIBE PROLOGUE War! The malicious plan of Avatar Zuroc has gone off without a hitch. Successfully concealing her avatar status until her plans for world conquest were revealed, Zuroc took the world by surprise, and by storm. Within 2 years of her initial strike, the world was hers to control, save parts of the Water Tribes. Chief Tenoko, in the Southern Water Tribe at the time, was defending it, as most of The Zuroc Sensei had overrun it. The resources of The Order of the Avatar Slayer’s were dwindling, and Tenoko even knew it. Things were looking grim.
PART I: BEHIND A MASK
CHAPTER 1: THE RED PATRIOT “The Northern Capital has been taken, Chief Tenoko. There was little that we could do ever since The Avatar Guard’s forces started to occupy the surrounding regions.”
“Where did I go wrong, Fukuda,” Tenoko sighed, “How did the Northern Water Tribe hold out so well back in the days of that centuries-long war with the “last airbender” then?”
“Times were different,” Fukuda replied, “and the Fire Nation was the enemy. They could not penetrate the huge ice walls that surround many Water Tribe cities. The Avatar Guard has Waterbenders, and more so, Avatar Zuroc herself. She was there, and she was more than willing to wreak destruction upon the capital city.”
“So she destroyed it?” Tenoko exclaimed,
“No,” said Fukuda, “she just did enough damage to get most people to retreat. From there, we learned that a few flaws o the parts of Michiko and I were also to blame.”
“You know,” Tenoko replied, “if I was one of those old rulers, I’d likely string you and Michiko up for this.”
“And yet your verdict is...?” said another voice, this one belonging to Michiko, “is one that does not involve killing, I take it?”
“Aye,” Tenoko replied, “for I heard that you and Fukuda found yourselves a rather interesting warrior in your retreat from the Northern Water Tribe.”
“Aye,” Fukuda laughed, and then snapped his fingers. “Send her in!”
“And what sort of person should I be expecting?” Tenoko asked curiously, “For I am in the mood for a drink.”
“She’s a cunning tactician,” Fukuda replied proudly, “you won’t be ashamed of this one—you might have even heard the rumors about her. Surely you have heard of The Red Patriot, am I correct?”
“The Red Patriot,” Tenoko exclaimed, “that firebender—that really powerful one; that Red Patriot?”
“No one else is worthy of the name,” Michiko laughed.
“Send her in then,” Tenoko snapped, “don’t leave her standing.”
The woman they brought in was actually just a young girl, no older than 15 or 16. She was clad in Fire Nation attire, but had tan skin, dark brown hair, and gold eyes. She looked like a cross between a waterbender and a firebender, but her bending discipline was fire.
“So,” the girl remarked, “The Southern Water Tribe is The Avatar Guard’s next target?”
“Aye,” Tenoko replied, “Fire Nation and Northern Water Warriors are on the move. Fukuda and Michiko said you would be able to help.”
“Oh, I will,” the girl grinned, “and I’ll do it free of charge. I serve a higher authority than either The Order of the Avatar Slayer or the Avatar Guard. I serve my country.”
This girl was actually known internationally for her power, which was so intense that even she had trouble controlling and containing it sometimes. It was her glaring weakness, but it was kept under better control in situations that normally would hinder firebenders, such as the frigidity of the Southern Water Tribe, and the evening time.
Tenoko chuckled.
“You always served your country, Katara Altina II” she remarked, using the young girl’s name, “even if that meant you were on the wrong side.” “There is no right and wrong side,” Katara replied, “not for me at least.”
“If only we could all be like you,” Michiko remarked, “it’s a pity that the avatar herself is the one against the world.”
“It’s why The Order of the Avatar Slayer exists, is it not?” Katara remarked, “Slay Avatar Zuroc, and bring in the next one, hoping that he or she isn’t as evil as this one.”
“Aye,” Fukuda replied, “but it’s not that easy, and still leaves a bad name on the avatar cycle nonetheless. Ultimately though, aye, our goal is to slay the avatar.”
“My goal is to keep my country safe,” Katara declared, “and anyone stupid enough to get in my way is going to learn what losing is like—the hard, painful way.” Katara, despite her young age, had already been through many things that most young women hadn’t even seen or done in their lives. She was a fierce girl who had been hated by society because of a bending trait that made her dangerous that she literally had no control over. Although Katara was skilled at “reading” maps and symbols as part of strategizing, she could not read words on paper at all. This was sometimes used against her, but very seldom, as Katara’s cunning and cleverness got her out of many a sticky situation. Her hard-to-control power helped as well.
“But do any of you know WHY The Avatar Guard chose this day to invade us?” said a voice. Tenoko, Michiko, Fukuda, and Katara all turned. Standing in the doorway was an aged Kyoshi Warrior who was at least in her 90s.
“I heard that it was something that would work to their advantage,” Katara replied, “but apart from that, I haven’t an idea.”
“Because of the rumors of the lunar eclipse,” Tenoko replied, “which I assume General Koara Lombardi has arrived to inform us that it’s true.”
“You read my mind,” Koara chuckled, “but either way, it leads us to a serious issue, especially because almost all of our warriors are obviously waterbenders, and they play a vital part in the defense of this country, and these walls.”
“That is indeed true,” Tenoko replied, “but if you’ve ever had a word with Sage Koroda regarding what the legends say about the Southern Water Tribe, this is not going to stop us.”
Fukuda and Michiko grinned.
“I didn’t think you were the type to worry about legends, Chief,” Fukuda laughed, “You always just seemed to like a good drink.”
“Hey,” Tenoko remarked, “there’s nothing wrong with getting hammered right before a war—alright, maybe there is.”
Michiko chuckled.
“That wasn’t the point,” she said, “the point is—the legends have said (and thus far proved) that the Southern Water Tribe is invincible. Nevertheless, this does not mean we can be lax on our defenses during this time, especially if our enemies wish to strike during the lunar eclipse. We need someone who could counter them—the more the better.”
“You’ve got at least one person in the Tribe who will not be affected by the eclipse, Chief,” Katara remarked, flaring up her right arm, “and so if you want my services, just give the word.”
“How much is this going to cost me?” Tenoko laughed,
“Since when did I, a 15-year-old girl, ever think about asking for money from the Water Chief,” Katara chuckled, “did I give you a price?”
“No,” Tenoko replied, “no you didn’t.”
“Then that means there isn’t one,” Katara replied, “I’m a patriot. Defending my country is not something that I need money to do.”
“That is why you are known as The Red Patriot, is it not?” Tenoko remarked, “your unwavering loyalty to your country is what it needs right now—and you will be rewarded for it.”
“Just keep me out of Zuroc’s clutches,” Katara replied, “that will be the only reward I need. Right now though, let’s form some strategies. It is always good to have something to fall back on should one plan not go right; surely you all know this.”
“Aye,” Tenoko declared, “and so, let us go to the War Room.”
As they went, Tenoko smiled at Katara.
“Glad you could come,” she remarked, “You’ve done a lot for the tribes.”
“It’s what I’m here for,” Katara replied, “and why I’m The Red Patriot.”~Katara~
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Post by Teᴙa253 on Jun 29, 2009 4:25:40 GMT -7
Here's chapter 2. This is basically just before tha main battle starts, and we're going to meet some more Alternate Universe TOAS Water Tribe Characters soon.
Moreover, there are more cases like Katara's--namely, people born in the Water Tribes that are not waterbenders. But yeah, chapter 2.
CHAPTER 2: ANOTHER STRATEGY The War Room was a large chamber with a huge map of the world as they knew it. Right now it was covered in icons of Avatar Zuroc, and a few that symbolized the Water Tribes. Everything else on the map was gone, as Zuroc had conquered it all. Granted, the Air Nomads, Fire Nation, and Earth Kingdom were still existent, but they were currently run by Zuroc and her minions.
“As you all can tell from this map,” Said Tenoko, “the Water Tribes are the last remaining stronghold against Avatar Zuroc’s forces. The fate of the world rests in our hands.”
“And it looks like our Northern sister is suffering,” Katara remarked, indicating the markers that showed that Zuroc’s forces had infiltrated parts of it, including the Northern Capital. “So we need a plan.”
“Aye,” Tenoko replied, “our first plan is obviously the most basic one—defend the walls, and hold the line to ensure that the enemies do not break it. When or if that one fails, we need a decoy force.”
“A decoy force,” Koara asked, smirking, “what type of decoy?”
“Most likely some of our Water warriors,” Tenoko replied, “particularly those good at defending, or that use weapons as opposed to bending.”
“But if that is our decoy force,” Fukuda remarked, turning to Tenoko, “then what is our “main” force?”
Tenoko smirked. “I’m almost entirely sure that our Kyoshi Warrior friend here had more than one reason for showing up.”
She turned to Koara, and she cracked her knuckles.
“I’ve brought my squadron of Kyoshi Warriors with me,” she declared, “they’re waiting outside for my return. Aye, a few of the waterbender ones may be rendered less powerful than some of the others, but 500 strong should be able to do considerable damage, especially with a division like the one I was fortunate enough to call my own.”
“but there is still much more to discuss on this matter,” Michiko warned, “we need to find out if they plan to strike earlier than the eclipse or not—they might try to drag it out until then; they might not.”
“that actually makes perfect sense,” Katara replied, “to wear us down that much, and then come the eclipse, finish us off when we’d become even weaker. Then again, I don’t think she’d want to kill us all—she just wants to infiltrate the fortress that is The Southern Water Tribe, and put her forces in here. It’s what she’s done to the other 3 nations, and what is happening to our Northern Sister.”
“So all in all,” Koara replied, “if I sent a few scouts out towards Zuroc’s palace, we could find out when they plan to strike, how strong they’d be, and what their strategy is.”
“If we were at our luckiest,” Tenoko replied, “but we cannot rely on everything going flawlessly. If anything, we need to expect something to go wrong.” “Indeed,” Katara replied, “and so what is our backup plan?”
“The Dao Le Family,” Fukuda replied, “they’re good friends of ours, and they’ve been known to have ties with the enemy that they’ve used only to our advantage.”
“Where are they now?” Tenoko asked,
“One of the twins is with their parents in the nearby city of Cronia,” Michiko replied, “the other twin is here in the city at an apothecary run by Kiera Montoya.” “So that’s who the kid was,” Koara chuckled, “I certainly did not figure that my daughter had another child at her age.”
Kiera Montoya, a woman in her mid 60s or early 70s, was the daughter of Koara. She was a professional healer.
“Would a kid of her age know of what Zuroc is up to,” Tenoko asked,
“Probably not,” Fukuda replied, “but we should take her with us, as she’d probably want to see her family again. Besides, it’s not out of our way at all.”
All in all, a quick stop at Kiera’s apothecary caused them to add Kyla to their group, and shortly after, they were glad in a way that they had gone to Cronia, but in another way, they were horrified—the city was under heavy attack. Moreover, even from the highest watch tower in the Southern Capital, this city was just out of sight.
“It looks like we’ll have to talk now and strategize later,” Katara remarked, “’coz I refuse to let anyone take down the Water Tribes.”
“We’ll take it from here, Tenoko,” Michiko remarked, taking Kyla’s hand as well, “the capital needs you.”
“She can go, I’m staying here to fight,” Katara declared,
“No,” Tenoko remarked,” this is probably some type of decoy force, Katara. I need you and Koara to come with me back to the capital.”
“What,” Katara exclaimed, “are you serious?”
Normally, Katara had respect for any of her Water Tribe superiors [or anyone of a higher rank than her], but because of Tenoko’s nature, Katara felt alright with being less formal around her.
“Aye,” Tenoko replied, “If this city did by chance fall, it would not be the demise of the Southern Water Tribe. The Capital City, on the other hand, would be, and the likes of you, me, and Koara’s Kyoshi Warriors are the types of people we need most there. Cronia had enough good generals—we need generals like you and Koara at the Capital.
“Fine,” Katara growled, “I don’t see the logic in it, but I respect your decision as Water Chief.”
Tenoko smiled. “You’re a general through and through,” she chuckled, ruffling Katara’s hair, “times where you may not agree wit my decisions, you stick through with them—that’s admirable, kid.”
“You’d call me a general,” Katara asked, as Tenoko kicked up a wave of ice, which they began to ride back to the capital [this wave of ice, much like an earth wave, only with ice of course, was how they had gotten to Cronia from the capital city so quickly];
“Aye,” Tenoko replied, “I would, despite your age. Technically, you’re too young to be fighting, and so is Kyla. It’s your patriotism that gives you that right. Someone who loves their country as much as you do should have the right to defend it if they wish.”
“That’s why I wanted to go fight at Cronia,” Katara replied, riding Tenoko’s ice wave [being a firebender, and therefore not able to make one of her own] “I feel so useless standing at the capital knowing that a nearby city is being attacked.”
“Trust me,” Tenoko remarked, “the only way Zuroc could ever claim the Southern Water Tribe is if she got through to the capital. Moreover, with ambition like hers, she’s not the type who would think about taking all the surrounding cities before storming the capital, she’d just take any out that were in her way, like Cronia, and then attack the capital at full force. We need you here, Katara, because during the eclipse, many of us will be powerless. As an incredibly powerful firebender, you’re an asset to your country in that way. Your patriotism is the ultimate source of it though—we’re the only ones you fight for.” She chuckled slightly at that last remark, but it was true nonetheless.
“Hey,” Katara smiled, “it’s what I’m here for. Now if I may make a suggestion, Chief: I suggest we return to the war room and strategize, shouldn’t we?”
“Aye,” Tenoko, “because with them attacking Cronia here and now the way they are, we are going to need Another Strategy.”
~Katara~
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Post by Teᴙa253 on Sept 26, 2009 17:29:18 GMT -7
and finally, after AGES of hiatus, I finally release chapter 3! it's the lead-up to the battle, and in chapter 4 I'm going to switch over to our friends over in Cronia, the city where the battle is at the moment. Oh, and as a side note--the Kyoshi Warriors that appear throughout this story are much more hardcore than the ones in the canon show. These Kyoshi Warriors are quite numerous, vicious, powerful, and come from all kinds of different backgrounds. [for a better idea, follow this link: avatarslayer.wikispaces.com/Kyoshi+Warriors ] There are good ones, evil ones, and ones that serve various nations, based on where they came from. Koara's forces, though not all waterbenders, are all in fact supporters of the Water Tribe. Wait till we see them, along with enemy Kyoshi Warriors--in combat. till then though, we see the Southern Water Tribe's preparation for holding off the Avatar's forces. enjoy. CHAPTER 3: FOR THE WATER TRIBE Katara, Tenoko, and Koara returned to the War Room of the Capital City’s palace. There, they looked over their options.
“We have some good units stationed in South Serenes,” Koara remarked, “even though most of their forces will keep their little village in the North safe, as I would take it that was their priority.”
“Aye,” Tenoko replied, “they’re an unusual bunch.”
The cities of North and South Serenes were small villages in the Northern and Southern Water Tribes that had evaded capture since the time of their founding. South Serenes, the original village, was the larger of the two, but there were more “non-Serenes” people there than Serenes, and so it was slightly more prone to attacks than North Serenes was. North Serenes was more close-family, and therefore, they were the more powerful masters. The name Serenes was more of a legend that peaceful waterbending masters living around that area took up rather than a family name at this point. However, there was still the line of Kai Serenes that existed, as they were known as being the ultimate waterbenders. Some even considered this line as a line of goddesses, despite them being only human.
“Serenes will help us in the long run,” Katara remarked, “I’ve associated with many of them, especially in the Northern Water Tribe. I bet they’re the reason that the Northern Water Tribe hasn’t fallen, despite Zuroc’s forces taking hold of the capital.”
“Well,” said Tenoko, “our scouts for the Northern Water Tribe are Kai Serenes XLIII and XLIV—that mother and daughter. They were on their way here last I checked—passing through the Southern Air Temple to be exact. We need to wait until tomorrow until we can receive their report, and in the meantime, we need to arm this city. If The Avatar Guard is already in Cronia, and the eclipse is in 3 days, it could and will mean they will invade us soon.”
“Aye,” Koara replied, “and so if you would give Katara and me the privilege of spreading the word we’ll have things organized by nightfall.”
“Aye,” Tenoko replied, and she handed the two of them Water Tribe Emblems, which marked the symbol of a leader. They were worn as belt buckles. Interestingly enough, Katara’s badge was red, as if promoting Katara to this level of authority had been something Tenoko had been planning a while ago.
Koara and Katara were surprisingly effective at mustering the Water Tribe’s forces. Katara was mature and respectful around her fellow Water Tribes people, and so they gave her the same respect. Moreover, this was their country they were fighting for, and so virtually any able-bodied warrior, bender and non-bender, male and female, were in front of the Southern Water Tribe Palace by nightfall.
Tenoko looked over at the vast array of waterbenders, warriors, and benders of other elements that had been born in this country [for one, Katara was one of these, being born in the Water Tribe of firebender and waterbender parents, and receiving from genetics, firebending.]. She turned to Koara, Katara, and a few of Koara’s Kyoshi Warriors that had assisted these two under Koara’s command.
To cut a long story short, Tenoko gave a long and elaborate speech regarding the Water tribes and its defense. It was mostly just pep talk, as most of the warriors that Katara and Koara had brought were patriots as well. Once that was done, Koara took over, as Tenoko took Katara away from the crowds for a while to tell her something that she presumed was important for her to know.
“You want me to get ANOTHER alter-ego,” Katara exclaimed,
“In a way,” Tenoko replied, “aye. Very few people know that you have experience as a Kyoshi Warrior—Koara is one of the few who did. She was the one who told me.”
“There are still people looking for you,” Tenoko replied, “it would not only add to the element of surprise, but also keep you safe.”
Katara growled. While she had in fact had skills as a Kyoshi Warrior, the fighting style and/or appearance of the warriors themselves did not greatly appeal to her. Moreover, she was not very skilled with weapons, which was something that most (but not all) of them were famous for.
“Fine,” Katara growled, “but seeing as that’s an optional part of defending the Water Tribe, that is something that I will in fact demand getting paid for.”
Tenoko chuckled. “You drive a hard bargain, Katara Altina II,” she remarked, “but if you insist, then so be it.”
“Eh,” Katara shrugged, “I just want to be able to drive the Avatar’s forces so far back that Zuroc herself will cry.”
“I’m sorry for pulling you out of the battle at Cronia then,” Tenoko responded, “but you do understand why I did it, correct?”
“Aye,” Katara replied, “either way, I’m not going to forget this.”
“Indeed,” Tenoko chuckled, “until then, everything is turning out in our favor, so we must be prepared for something to go wrong. Hopefully Michiko, Fukuda, and the Dao Le family can hold out in Cronia. If we lose them, things could become a lot worse.”
“The Dao Le family,” Katara asked, “I thought the only thing special about them was that girl.”
“On the contrary,” Tenoko replied, “they hold many secrets and vulnerabilities that the Southern Water Tribe has with them—their parents, and even their two children. That was another reason they left little Kyla apart—even form her twin brother. Each one of them holds one of four parts of vital information that we need to remain intact. Huki, the father, holds the first part; Maku, the mother, holds the 2nd part; Taku, their son, holds the 3rd part, and Kyla, their daughter, holds the 4th part. I’d explain more, but it’s of little importance here and now.”
“So we’re relying on Michiko and Fukuda Yao then,” Katara remarked,
“Them, and keeping Kyla Dao Le from reuniting with her family should the others fall. Kyla trusts the Yao family like her grandparents, and so if they tell her to stick with them, she will, even if she sees her family in the distance.”
“She’s got guts then,” Katara remarked as Koara stepped in. she told Tenoko that the crowds had since dispersed and were now preparing for the invasion that they expected to receive soon.
“Chief Tenoko,” she said once she finished, “we now await your next objective. What do we do from here?”
“We prepare for battle as well.” Tenoko replied, “I might be Tribe Chief, but my death means nothing as long as the Tribe stays together. It was how it was when Zuroc’s forces took my husband, and it will be how it will be, should they take me this time around.”
“Very well then,” Koara replied, bowing in the proper respect. Katara also did so, but hers was shorter and less “respectful”. It was not that Katara did not respect authority, but she knew that Tenoko saw her as more of a friend than a superior. Moreover, despite Katara’s high rank, she didn’t ever demand respect from anyone other than loyalty to their country, and so all in all formality was just not for her.
Soon, Katara was decked out in a Kyoshi Warrior uniform [against her will, but Tenoko promised her a decent little sum of money that was enough for her needs] and was standing alongside Koara.
“so this is it,” Katara remarked, looking over the horizon at the setting sun, “this is where it all goes down?”
“Aye,” Koara replied, “time will tell. Oh, and by the way, thanks for the help earlier.”
“For the Water Tribe,” Katara smiled. “For the Water Tribe”~Katara~
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Post by Teᴙa253 on Sept 26, 2009 17:30:29 GMT -7
anyhoot, here's the long-awaited chapter 4. More war, and violence, and other confusing shizzle. my computer said this was written at a 10th grade level. I say meh, but it was still a bit hectic.
Michiko and Fukuda rock.
CHAPTER 4: THE DAO LE’S DOWNFALL
Just because Tenoko, Koara, and Katara had left the scene of battle though, did not by any means mean that it had ended, or even diminish for that matter? Michiko, Fukuda, and little Kyla were at the front lines, using powerful waterbending to keep their opponents at bay. Kyla was rather powerful, for she, like Katara, though much less extreme, was a Chi-Dominant Bender as well.
Michiko and Fukuda were providing Kyla with ample supplies of water, and were also providing the defenses for her. Kyla was using the water that Michiko and Fukuda provided her to rain attacks on her enemies, much like bullets from a machine gun. Kyla was freezing the water into golf ball-size chunks and rapidly blasting them off at anyone who moved. Fukuda has situated the three of them on a small hill away from most of the melee, and so they were effectively picking off the Zuroc Sensei from this location. It was during mid-day, so the firebenders on either side were at their best.
True to Tenoko’s word, Kyla stuck with Fukuda and Michiko, despite seeing her family in the distance. They were used to being apart because of the crucial secrets they held, and surprisingly, none of them had told even their fellow family members what their part of the secret contained. The only one that knew the full secret was their family [when combined, a few old sages that had either since passed away or whose existence became a myth to keep them from getting captured; and of course, Chief Tenoko herself. Avatar Zuroc was after this secret, as it was the secret regarding the one weakness that the Water Tribe was known to have.
The villagers of Cronia, many of them warriors, were holding off pretty well at first, but as the sun began its path into setting [at this point, Koara and Katara were listening to Tenoko’s speech at the capital], Fukuda and Michiko decided they had to abandon their old tactic and devise a new one.
“What are we going to do?” Kyla asked,”
“Something we hoped we wouldn’t have to,” Fukuda replied, “but that squadron of Kyoshi Warriors that appeared a couple of hours ago are ripping this village apart. It was a secret force of our own Kyoshi Warriors that Michiko is about to bring in, to be exact.”
“Ah,” Kyla replied, “so that’s where she disappeared to. She’ll return soon though, won’t she?”
”Of course,” Fukuda smiled, “But we need to get out of here before—”
But he was interrupted as a fiery catapult stone blasted the ground merely 5 feet behind him. It blasted him and Kyla into a sprawling position face forward. Fukuda, a skilled waterbending master was able to stop himself from scraping, but young Kyla took it painfully to the face and arm as she scraped against the hostile, unforgiving ice. Her clothes didn’t tear, but her leg had also hit a rather nasty chunk of rock and her face was bleeding. She looked rather injured. They both, as a matter of fact, were hurt, but both of them, being the resilient Water Tribes people that they were, were both trying to shake it off. Fukuda, a battle-hardened general, was able to easily shake his pain off, but young Kyla, who not only was more severely wounded than Fukuda, but was also younger and not a general like Fukuda and Michiko, seemed to have trouble standing. Fukuda, not aware of this, got up and assumed Kyla was behind him until he heard her cry out for him.
Turning around, he saw that she was trying to stand up, but unable to. She tried again, but her leg, apparently injured, gave way again, and she fell to her knees, crying from frustration and from the pain.
“Curses,” eh muttered, “Michiko, where are you?”
He reached Kyla and scooped the 14-year-old into his arms.
“You alright,” he asked, as he slipped into an alleyway to prevent being in open attack range and set Kyla down. “I mean; I’d look at your injuries, but you probably shouldn’t take your clothes off here.”
He chuckled, and Kyla giggled. His aim was to keep her in high spirits until Michiko returned with the reinforcements of Kyoshi Warriors that she had initially departed in the first place to summon. They had been in an encampment a few hundred yards away from the city, but the going was slow for Michiko because she did not want to be seen, which proved slightly difficult against the light blue snow and ice. Nevertheless, she eventually reached the division, and they soon were pouring into the city to combat the enemy Kyoshi Warriors.
“Wait right here, Kyla,” Fukuda whispered, bending a slab of ice to conceal the young waterbender, “I think Michiko has arrived.” Fukuda darted off and Kyla stayed where she was, as her injury had rendered her immobile.
The first thing Fukuda noticed was that Michiko had in fact arrived, and was defending someone with all the power she could muster. From Fukuda’s distance, he could not tell who it was though, and soldiers and warriors that belonged to Avatar Zuroc’s forces cut him off from her. He did not want them to know where Kyla was hidden, and so he cracked his knuckles and charged into the fray. Many a Kyoshi warrior from Michiko’s reinforcements joined him, as he was their leader just as much as Michiko.
The woman that Michiko was defending was Maku Dao Le. She was badly wounded; Taku was nowhere to be seen, and Huki had been killed. Michiko wondered if they had ever gotten the information out of him, and moreover, this was why she had suddenly decided to so adamantly defend Maku. She and 4 Kyoshi warriors were all surrounding the injured waterbender, and were keeping their formation as long as they were able to hold off Zuroc’s stubborn forces.
“Nina,” Michiko whispered to the Kyoshi Warrior next to her, “I need you to get to the Capital and report on the damage here---we need reinforcements and we need them as quickly as possible or we’ll lose another Dao Le family member.
The girl, named Nina, nodded, and drawing her blades, she ripped through Zuroc’s forces as she tore her way to the walls of the city. She fought with a single-minded fury, disregarding any injuries she received along the way, which were many. A few others, aware of her mission, diverted the attention of the Avatar Guard and the Zuroc Sensei, enabling Nina to escape from Cronia, despite the many injuries she had taken along the way.
She paused about halfway there, only to examine a few lone bodies that she found. Among them was a boy—Taku Dao Le. Nina paused and felt for signs of life, but he, like the bodies of the two enemy Kyoshi Warriors and the Zuroc Sensei, was cold.
“What will their mother say,” she thought to herself, pausing only to think about how this could have happened; “what will Kyla say?”
She realized that the only way to find out would be to get the news to the capital in time, and so she raced on, pushing her injured, bleeding body past its limits. If she was not quick enough to relay this information to Chief Tenoko and get the reinforcements to Cronia, it would easily secure The Dao Le’s Downfall.
~Katara~
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Post by Teᴙa253 on Sept 26, 2009 17:31:31 GMT -7
Wait till we find out WHO this Avatar is... hehehe...
BTW, TOAS stands for "The Order of the Avatar Slayer".
here, they're actually the "good guys" who want to kill the Avatar so that a new one can come, that hopefully won't be evil.
Anyways, here's chapter 5.
CHAPTER 5: THE LOSS OF CRONIA Michiko and her Kyoshi Warriors were defending Kyla’s mother with all the power they could muster, refusing to let a 3rd Dao Le family member die. Slamming her foot against the ground, Michiko brought up a wall of ice and water, which she punched with her fist to shatter into thousands of small, dagger-like shards. She used these to ward off the Zuroc Sensei, but these minions were fierce, and their reflexes unmatched. The last thing Michiko remembered was getting blasted off of her feet with a combined effort of a rouge earthbender and a waterbender.
“So wait,” Katara asked, “we don’t even know who Avatar Zuroc is?”
“No,” Koara replied, “The Earth Kingdom Avatar disappeared many years before a Fire Nation avatar appeared. We think it’s a young girl in her 30s, but if her predecessor really did die when he “disappeared”, she would be in her 60s at this point.”
“How has she kept herself secret for 60 years?” Katara exclaimed,
“Whoever she is,” Tenoko replied, “she is deadly cunning. It’s the only way she could have ever overthrown powerful defenses such as the Eastern Air Temple, the Northern Water Tribe, the City of the Red Maiden in the Fire Nation, and the Earth Kingdom’s city of Fengtai.”
“The fact that we don’t know who we’re dealing with after all these years of thinking we did, just means that Avatar Zuroc is much more deadly than we expected her to be.” Koara added.
Suddenly though, they were interrupted when Nina burst into the room. Naturally, Tenoko, Koara, and Katara were all quite surprised when a stray, bloodied Kyoshi Warrior came bursting into the War Room while they were discussing their tactic and approach against Avatar Zuroc. However, upon receiving the message, Tenoko was alarmed.
“Get them out of there,” she said with a serious tone, “get everyone out of there. They’ve clearly overrun Cronia. This is a much larger force than I thought it would be. We need to get them out of there fast.”
“Let me do it,” Katara pleaded, “I have a plan that would be even more effective than me as a Kyoshi Warrior.”
Tenoko chuckled.
“Katara,” she said, “I understand that you’re not fond of your outfit. Trust me on this though. I gave it to you for a reason. Keep it, but if you want to play your part, then do. If you help them order a retreat, we could save a lot of Water Tribe lives.”
“But we’d lose Cronia to the Avatar.”
“And what good is an empty city, other than a stronghold?”
“That exactly, Chief Tenoko; they would be able to turn our own resources against us. Cronia is not exactly small.”
“I understand your logic, Katara Zelgius Altina II,” Tenoko replied respectfully, “but the loss of Cronia might work to our advantage. The Southern Water Tribe has been in our possession for such long periods of times that we were able to make secret “weaknesses” to many of the great cities of this area, so that if we lost them, we would be able to recapture them. Of course, a lot of them are buried in Southern Water Tribe History and in the minds of the builders and families that have been in the cities for centuries. The Secret that the Dao Le Family knows about actually is how to penetrate the Southern Capital.”
A wheezing from behind them showed that Nina was again trying to speak. Based on her wounds, and look on Koara’s face, it did not look like she was going to survive more than 10 more minutes.
“The Dao Le Family...” she wheezed, “is defeated.”
“NO” Tenoko roared, “Damn it, Zuroc.”
“Tenoko,” Koara replied softly putting her hand on Tenoko’s shoulder, “calm down. Our friend Nina has a few more words to tell us before she leaves to her rightful place in the spirit world.”
“The girl...” she wheezed, “was still alive... when I... came. Whatever you do... just remember: For the Water Tribe.”
“Kyla,” Tenoko replied, and then turned to Katara.
“Find Michiko and Fukuda,” she said, “run; blaze your path back to Cronia. Find them, and tell them to pull as many troops out of there as possible, and protect Kyla Dao Le at all costs.”
“Wait,” Koara remarked as Katara nodded, saluted, and almost literally shot off, “if the Dao Le Family members were killed, then wouldn’t the secret die with them?”
“No,” Tenoko replied, “they committed it literally to physical memory. It is something that we cannot trust the mere mortal minds of humans to remember exactly. They had it inscribed upon their bodies in the form of tattoos. It’s just a series of markings that they have on their upper right legs is all, really.”
“But then all they would have to do is get captured, or killed, and then the secret would be lost.”
“There’s a reason the Dao Le Family remained apart, and it was not because they hated each other. Their loyalty though was to their tribe. If we recover Kyla, we can see if she still has her markings.”
“I have faith in Nina’s words then, Chief,” Koara declared,
“As do I,” Tenoko replied, “and I have faith in young Katara. That girl is truly a selfless patriot.”
The only reason Michiko did not get captured was because Fukuda had broken through and fought as hard to protect her as she had fought to protect Maku Dao Le. He could see from the chaos and melee that surrounded them that if they continued fighting that they would be run down. Cronia would have to be taken. However, he was not going to let neither his Tribe nor his chief down.
Katara arrived on the scene almost “just in time”. She bellowed for a retreat, and she literally burned her way through the crowds [and through several buildings, which did cost her a considerable amount of pain] to get to Fukuda to alert him. He passed the word on, and as more warriors picked up on it, they began their retreat. The enemies did not follow him, but immediately began spreading through the city, killing off stragglers and taking over the various outposts the city had, securing their position for The Avatar Guard. While parts of the Southern Water Tribe had been captured before, there had never been a recorded case of the capital falling into enemy hands for over 2100 years, which was how long it had been since the 100-year War when the Southern Water Tribe had nearly faced extinction.
“Damn,” Katara swore as she carried an unconscious Kyla back towards the capital, flanked by Fukuda and Michiko; Katara might have been young, but she was quite strong with how much physical exercise she got. Moreover, Fukuda and Michiko were both wounded, and so Katara, a strapping young woman, volunteered to carry the little girl. Though 14, Kyla was small for her size, and this worked to the advantage of keeping her unnoticed amongst the crowds of fleeing Order Warriors. The Avatar Guard luckily did not follow them, and they made to the capital. Here, Michiko and Fukuda planned to tell of The Loss of Cronia.
~Katara~
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Post by Teᴙa253 on Sept 26, 2009 17:32:59 GMT -7
and here's chapter 6. There' nothing wrong with the way Kyla is dressed in this scenario either. Keep this in mind so you don't think I'm a pervert or anything. haha.
I've got reasons for everything I do, and it's not a good idea to underestimate the thought process of the Southern Water Tribe here.
CHAPTER 6: THE TRIBE’S SECRET By the time they were within the walls, Michiko was struggling to stay on her feet. Fukuda half carried and half dragged her, the remainder of the way, as Katara was carrying Kyla’s unconscious form, and she could barely feel Kyla’s breath on her shoulder—it was obvious that the young waterbender was barely alive.
Tenoko was a bit curious as to why the Avatar Guard had not followed the warriors out of Cronia, but they figured that it was most likely because the Avatar Guard wanted to try and secure a position in the Southern Water Tribe before they advanced on the capital. It was evening again; and tomorrow was the night of the eclipse.
Tenoko, Koara and the others made sure that anyone wounded was tended to, especially Kyla. Moreover, if they could revitalize Kyla, she would be able to quicken the healing process of certain people, as Kyla was an aspiring healer, and was very talented as things stood. Katara was one of the first high-ranking Water Tribe ‘officers’ [by rights, Katara Altina II was a Major in Tenoko’s military because of her abilities, and her unusual leadership skills. Katara might have hated people, but she knew how to deal with them, especially if they were fighting for the same cause that she was.] That was well enough to walk again. None of the surviving warriors from Cronia had left uninjured. Katara was injured because she was reckless. She was not badly injured because she was not there for a majority of the time.
“Major Katara,” said a Water Tribe Soldier after seeing her awake, “Chief Tenoko and General Koara would like to speak to you.”
Katara nodded, and went from the Houses of Healing to the Chief’s Palace, where she naturally found Tenoko, Koara and Fukuda in the War Room. It seemed that this was where Koara and Tenoko seemed to almost live nowadays.
Katara entered to also find Kyla’s unconscious form on a small table next to the large table that had the world map. Avatar Zuroc’s symbol, a black, jagged lightning bolt shaped like a ‘Z’, was littered throughout the Air Temples, Fire Nation, and Earth Kingdom. It was also in much of the Northern Water Tribe, with many forces closing in on the Southern Water Tribe as well. Michiko was absent, but an old sage had arrived in her place, or maybe for another reason. Katara recognized the old sage as Sage Koroda, and she assumed that he was here on request of Chief Tenoko, perhaps for Kyla’s sake.
One thing that struck Katara as slightly odd was that Kyla was missing her pants, but had the rest of her normal clothes on. She had a pair of shorts on to cover her undergarments, but they were short and stopped well above her knee. These were likely only for modesty’s sake, for it only took Katara 2.1 seconds to realize why she had been dressed in such a manner—there was a tattooed inscription on Kyla’s upper right leg that someone had copied onto a piece of parchment, and this was what they were poring over [the only reason they copied it was so they were not awkwardly close to Kyla. It was unlikely that this writing would be kept after this meeting.
Katara knocked on the door, though she had already slipped in. everyone turned to see that it was her, and Tenoko beckoned to her.
“What am I here for, Chief” Katara asked curiously, “I can’t read.”
“You don’t have to be able to read,” Tenoko replied, “you just need to help us figure out what this means.”
“It’s only the Fourth part of a message,” Koroda advised, “The First, Second, and Third parts belonged to the other three members of her family, who, according to Michiko’s words, are no longer with us.”
“That means that they will have pried the secrets from their bodies,” Tenoko warned, “Kyla is not the only one to have her secret inscribed upon her leg—they all did.”
“Indeed,” Koroda replied calmly, running his finger along Kyla’s forehead, namely, where she had received a nasty cut, “but just as this part will make little sense without its three companions, the three companion parts will make little sense if this one is absent. It applies to any piece of this puzzle, not just Kyla’s. Kyla just so happened to be the missing piece this time.”
“So what exactly does this thing say,” Katara asked,
“It’s a Haiku—two to be exact” the old sage replied. “...Do not look for it; the answer is in the mists; then takes action there. This solves the riddle—and is the way to conquer the immortal Tribe.”
“Mists,” Katara muttered, “this makes no sense.”
“It’s supposed to be obscure,” Tenoko remarked, “but even I am not able to figure out the cryptic meaning of this mess. We need Kyla to come around so we can ask her.”
“She’s merely sleeping,” Koroda chuckled, “and she obeys the Tribal Chief without question. Tenoko, it’s your command.”
Kyla stirred and woke up, thanks to Tenoko’s nudging. She sat up, yawning, and looking not only very groggy, but also sick, and still injured. The only reason this was so urgent was because of the eclipse that was going to occur that night. However, Kyla was a Water Tribe patriot with enough love for her country that it could give Katara a run for her money. Their whole family was the same way, which was why they dedicated themselves to withholding the Water Tribe Secret that had been built by the legendary Waterbending master Katara Hakoda herself over 2100 years ago—the same young woman who had traveled with the lost avatar.
The reason that the secret to the Water Tribe’s defeat was kept and not destroyed was because it worked both ways. Should the Southern Capital ever get captured, the Water Tribe loyalists that wished to reclaim it could use its bane against the people occupying it. Ultimately, it was not that the Water Tribe remained standing, but that its people remained united and ruled well.
“where am I?” Kyla asked weakly. She put her hands on her lap, and noticed that her legs were mostly bare. This caused her to curl up, but she was mostly only covering her right leg. She was not concerned about modesty [her undergarments were not visible with what she had on], but rather, it was habitual for her to cover that part of her leg because of the inscriptions tattooed onto it. However, after glancing around quickly, she noticed that she was surrounded mostly by people she knew—Tenoko, Koara, Fukuda, and Sage Koroda. The only one she did not quite recognize was Katara, mostly because she wasn’t able to pin her name.
“The Red Patriot,” she muttered, “damn it; I can’t remember your name.”
“Katara,” Katara chuckled, “but hey, I’m glad to see you’re alright. We thought we ad lost you for a while.”
“I just feel really dizzy,” Kyla replied, “and I’m a bit confused as to why I’m wearing these shorts, but I suppose there’s a meaning for this.”
“There is,” Tenoko replied, “but for now, just sit back—relax. We’re handling these things. We’re not going to let the Water Tribes fall.” Kyla smiled. This seemed to be her utmost concern, and she seemed to be a key player in the defense of the Water Tribe, despite her very young age of 14 years. Moreover, it was a sense of Confidence for The Order of the Avatar Slayer knowing they had not lost The Tribe’s Secret.
~Katara
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Post by Teᴙa253 on Sept 26, 2009 17:34:00 GMT -7
anyhoot, here's chapter 7.
CHAPTER 7: KYLA’S RIDDLE “So,” said Kyla, “I take it there’s a reason I’m wearing these shorts?”
“Modesty,” Tenoko laughed, “but no, it was my request, owing to my needing to see the inscription tattooed upon your leg.”
“Why did you need to see it?” Kyla asked curiously,
“For one thing, you were badly injured in several places,” Tenoko replied, “but also because it’s the last part of a riddle that we no longer have the first three parts to—except my self.”
Kyla’s eyes popped open. “Wait,” she exclaimed, “the other three parts no longer—does that mean that my twin brother; my mom and dad are...”
Fukuda looked her in the eye for a moment before he closed his eyes.
“Aye, Kyla,” he replied, “Michiko and I did our best to protect them, but alas, we failed. Our efforts, as well as Katara’s, were the ones that saved you from the same fate.”
“So my... my family is... dead?” Kyla exclaimed,
“Aye,” Fukuda replied solemnly. “Michiko and I wish there was something we could do—something we could have done.”
“No,” Kyla replied, “they died the way they hoped they would—For the Water Tribes.”
She paused for a moment, realizing that she did not know this for certain. She hopped off of the table he had been sitting on, the gentle pit-pat of her shoes hitting the floor making almost no noise, and then she turned to Fukuda, looking up at him with a look of sincerity glazed across her young face. “...didn’t they?”
Fukuda smiled. He knew how they all had died, and knew that they were fighting for the cause.
“Aye,” he replied proudly, “They did, Kyla. It was under their orders and the orders of Chief Tenoko that they kept you apart from them, and the fact that they split up. You hold the 4th ad final part of the secret, which is likely the most important part from what Sage Koroda says.” Kyla smiled, wiping a tear out of her eye, which was of course, for her now dead family. Kyla knew how to get emotional, but she was not the type of girl who would cry very often.
“The Dao Le family was here for the Water Tribes,” she replied, “born for the tribes; we lived for them, and will die for them. As the last member of that family, I will do the same when my time comes.”
“It is an honorable trait, Kyla Dao Le,” Koroda declared, “and your undying love for your country will put your family in the books as some of the Patriots of Legend—much like the same hero Katara who fought in the 100-year war so many centuries ago.”
Kyla smiled. “Being a patriot doesn’t need to have extra benefits,” she said, “it is more of a duty.”
Katara grinned and walked over towards Kyla.
“That’s the spirit, Kyla,” she grinned, “you’re sounding like me. Perhaps you can join me as The Blue Patriot.” They both chuckled.
“That aside,” she said, “it was Chief Tenoko who wished to speak to you, mistress Dao Le.”
“Very well then, major.” Kyla replied, bowing respectfully to Katara according to her military rank. She then turned to Tenoko.
“What is it you wanted, Chief” she asked, bowing customarily, “you wish to know my riddle?”
“Aye,” Tenoko replied, “I seem to be able to make sense of the other three parts, but not yours.”
“I do not know the other three parts,” Kyla replied, sitting back on her table to be more at eye-level with everyone else, who were all much taller than her. She sat cross-legged so that she was comfortable, and so that the inscription on her leg was visible. “Just like the rest of my family did not know the other parts save their own.”
She sat down again and read her own inscription that was that tattooed on her leg. The “copy” had been destroyed after Sage Koroda had quoted it, for safety reasons.
“The mists,” said Koroda, using a fine stream of water to touch Kyla’s leg where the character for “mist” was, [as to respect Kyla’s personal space and her privacy] “what does your riddle imply about the mists?”
“It implies the obvious,” Kyla replied, “the secret lies within the mists.”
“The mists,” Tenoko exclaimed, “those are delusional traps for the foolish, are they not?”
“Unless it mentions something like that in one of my parents’ riddles, or that of my brother,” Kyla replied, “then aye, they are.”
“No,” Tenoko replied, remembering something from one of the other riddles that explained this, “They are the ways in, are they not?”
Kyla nodded. “Although the way through them is told in one of the other pieces of the riddle; not mine. It’s quite the cryptic message in all truth. Whoever wrote it, wrote it well. Are you ready to think that Avatar Zuroc will use this to her advantage tonight?”
“She might,” Koroda replied, “either that or she is going to finish off the Northern Water Tribe.”
“There’s only one way to find out,” Katara declared, cracking her knuckles, “we meet them at our gates in defense of our glorious homeland, and defense of the City of Koldia.”
Koldia was the name of the Capital City of the Southern Water Tribe. However, many people just called it the Southern Capital, as it is believed that Koldia received its name only about 15 or 16 centuries ago. All in all, either name was acceptable.
“We shall do that,” Tenoko declared, standing up, “but Sage Koroda would like a few words with you before you go.”
“Very well,” Kyla replied, and Fukuda, Tenoko, Koara, and Katara all left. Fukuda was likely going to check on Michiko, and the others were likely going to boost morale and muster troops.
Kyla watched the old sage, and sat down on a chair across from his. She did not feel awkward because of what she was wearing, for several reasons, and she acted completely normal, as did the old Sage.
The reason that these riddles had been put on their legs as opposed to anywhere else was because it was an area that was not private, but was usually covered on a normal basis enough to keep it secret.
“Your family did not survive,” Koroda said gravely, “it was confirmed.”
Kyla did not say anything at first.
“I understand,” she eventually responded quietly, “but they died for the Tribe. I wish to do the same.”
“Fate will take you when it is ready,” Koroda replied calmly, “you are an invaluable member of this group. Do you know why?”
“Why?” Kyla asked curiously, “Surely it is not just for my riddle.”
“No,” Koroda replied, smiling, “it is because of your prodigious healing abilities. You may not think you are much, but you are a very respectable Tribe Healer, Kyla Dao Le. Your small size, young age, and modesty in that regard are what throw people off.”
“I’ve always dreamed of becoming a mater bender,” Kyla whispered, “and a master healer even more prominently.”
“then continue down this path,” he replied, smiling, “Join the war effort—heal those who stand in need of it—fight when necessary. Your family was and is proud of you, Kyla. I knew them more than I knew you, because of your separation from them.” Kyla was separated from her family [only between Cronia and Koldia] because of the riddle. She saw them enough though, so didn’t mind this.
“Thank you, Sage Koroda,” she smiled, “I’ll do that.”
“Then go now,” he smiled, “and gear up.”
Kyla did just that. She was determined to live—and to keep the secret that was now known as Kyla’s Riddle.
~Katara~
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Post by Teᴙa253 on Sept 26, 2009 17:35:12 GMT -7
FYI, the Avatar has alreadyt taken over the entirety of the Air Temples [and the surrounding areas], the Earth Kingdom, and the Fire Nation. the Water Tribes are all that's left, and I believe that Chief Tenoko complained in chapter 1 that the Northern Water Tribe Capital had fallen prey to Avatar Zuroc's malice.
In this chapter, we learn what else has become of the Northern Water Tribe. oohhh... and we also get to meet a Kai Serenes... one of the legendary Northern Warriors. oohh... and Katara's older brother. Guess who he got named after? ^^
anyhoot, enough rambling. here's chapter 8.
CHAPTER 8: A SLEEPLESS NIGHT Chief Tenoko, General Fukuda, a now revitalized General Michiko, Major Katara, and General Koara were lining the walls of Koldia, the Capital City of the Southern Water Tribe, with their best and most powerful warriors. They could already see the forces mounting in Cronia, most likely preparing to storm the capital. Cronia was far off, but the walls of Koldia were so high that most of Cronia was visible from the southern walls.
The warriors of the Southern Water Tribe waited for their enemies to come crashing down on them like water on rocks. The moon rose, bright and full like it always was before an eclipse, and still, nothing happened. The next big event was a man who approached Tenoko.
“Chief Tenoko,” he said, “there is someone here to see you.”
“Bring them up,” Tenoko replied. She was on the walls with the others.
The messenger did this, and up came a young woman and a young man. Katara recognized the young man immediately.
“Sokka,” Katara exclaimed, “how did you get here?”
“I’ve been traveling for weeks,” he replied, “Kai Serenes and I have been making our way down here because we wished to share our report in the Northern Water Tribe, and moreover, give you a hand.”
He pointed to another place on the walls, where several earthbenders and firebenders were moving in with the Water Tribe Warriors and Kyoshi Warriors. Tenoko glanced at them.
“Well,” she said, “you had a message for me? Let’s hear it!”
Sokka chuckled. Incidentally, both he and her sister, Katara, had been named after a brother and sister from the Southern Water Tribe who had lived centuries before them. The difference was, that instead Sokka of being a non-bender, he was a waterbender, and instead of Katara being a waterbender, she was a firebender.
“Chief,” he said, “I just said what we were here for. The Northern Water Tribe is doing alright, sans us losing the Capital City. We’ve taken refuge in the surrounding areas, and are hoping that the city of North Serenes remains unknown. Then again, those Serenes folk are mercilessly creative. They’ll still find a way to defend their city.”
“And it will likely be because of North Serenes that the Northern Water Tribe will not fall,” Tenoko remarked. Kai, a native of North Serenes, blushed.
“I came here to share that report,” she added, “and we are wondering when our chief will return, Tenoko Dragmire.”
She winked at her, and Tenoko chuckled.
“Lorena and Felicia have it handled, right?” Tenoko asked, “And Chief Tallulah isn’t dead, is she?”
“No,” Kai replied, “your band of elite generals all still stand—Naseru, Saza, Faruko, and Lahka are all valiantly defending what they have left of the Northern Water Tribe.”
“Good,” Tenoko replied, “very good.”
She paused, glancing at Kai and Sokka. Sokka was looking at Katara, and he was slightly surprised to see her in a Kyoshi Warrior’s outfit, especially with the red and white paint on her face.
“You do realize what Avatar Zuroc plans to do here tonight, don’t you?” she asked them, looking serious (for once).
“Aye,” Kai nodded, “She intends to take advantage of the waterbenders’ lack of abilities due to the eclipse, and then strike here while it is at its weakest. It makes sense too, as this place has held up for over 2100 years. Who wouldn’t want to brag about being the one to take down the grand city of Koldia?”
“And that is why we have come,” Sokka added, “to supply some reinforcements that will not be affected by the eclipse. Keep your waterbender warriors out of this war—at least till the eclipse ends. If they are not too adept with weapons, it would be sending them to their deaths, and we clearly don’t need any more of that.”
“Aye, commander Sokka,” Tenoko smiled. “I’m way ahead of you.”
Sokka grinned. “Then just as always,” he chuckled.
“Indeed,” Tenoko replied, “I’m doing what I can for my Tribe.”
The Water Tribe Chief system had changed a little in the last two millennia. For one, Chief Tallulah was more of a representative in the Northern Water Tribe, as she took her orders from Tenoko, who was the highest ranking Water Chief. This Chief could come from North or south, depending on which Tribe they wished to reside in for any given amount of time. Tenoko spent a lot of time up north, in which Southern Representatives “ran” the Southern Tribe in her absence. This was the same way in the North.
For a long time, Kai, Sokka, Michiko, Fukuda, Kyla, Tenoko, Katara, Koara, and all of the surrounding warriors simply waited for something to happen. They could see movement from Cronia, but nothing seemed to be leaving the city. They had scouts scattered throughout the various areas of the walls [mainly in the south, because Cronia was directly south of Koldia], and the area was well-secured. Like Ba Sing Se, the only ways in were to bend the walls down like an ice version of earthbending, or of course, destroy them.
For a long time, there was silence. There was the occasional whisper of warriors talking about whatever it was they chose to talk about, but even this was in hushed whispers. It was not hard to sense that many of the warriors were fearful at this point. After all, these were some of the Avatar’s most powerful forces, and a lot of the Water Tribe’s best forces were set to become incapable of fighting due to the eclipse. This eclipse though, was not supposed to happen for several more hours, but the Southern Water Tribe Warriors [and the reinforcements brought by Sokka and Kai] were not going to abandon their posts, and since the enemy was not coming towards them, they had no choice but to wait and keep their guards up.
“Are you worried, Katara,” Tenoko asked her gently. Katara hesitated for a while before she responded.
“Aye,” she said timidly, “I believe I am—only a little.”
“It’s alright to be afraid,” Tenoko replied, “when you are set at odds like this, and at such a young age. Moreover, a lot of the Water Tribe is depending on you because of what you have said. You’re one of the few who will not be affected by this eclipse.”
“I know,” Katara replied, “it’s just that the odds are against us, aren’t they? How many times has the Avatar mustered forces against this city?”
“There was one or two other times, I believe,” Tenoko replied, “corrupted Avatars have tried this before, and they’re the most dangerous out of any corrupt person with power. Zuroc though, is mercilessly intelligent, and this is the detrimental factor that sets her apart. She has the advantage of anonymity—we don’t know who she is—who to aim for. Moreover, she has some of the best bending masters on her side. She planned this out very well.”
“I understand,” Katara replied, “but like the rest of these warriors, I’m not about to step down—even if I AM forced to wear these stuffy clothes and awkward face paint again.”
Tenoko chuckled. “It’ll be fine,” she replied, “well, until the battle. Then we’re going to be faced with lack of sleep.”
“Huh boy,” Katara sighed, “well, I guess we leave it up to fate—again.”
“Indeed,” Tenoko replied, “and I have this rather shrewd impression that Fate is about to slap us in the faces with A Sleepless Night.”
~Katara~
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Post by Teᴙa253 on Sept 26, 2009 17:36:12 GMT -7
another even bigger cliffhanger this time ^^ right up to where the battle is just beginning. Next chapter is gonna be all-out balls-out warfare. xD
anyhoot, here's chapter 9. [and for the record, a "rang" is a boomerang]
CHAPTER 9: A WAR TO REMEMBER
The inhabitants of Koldia knew that the Lunar Eclipse was almost upon them, and so naturally, they were not surprised to notice the forces moving out from Cronia.
“Get ready for at least 4 hours of hell,” Tenoko warned, “for they are going to come crashing upon us like lava on rock. Scouts say that the Avatar herself will be here. If we can pinpoint her, do whatever we can to take her down.
Everyone was tightly on their guard. Sokka was next to Katara, Michiko was next to Fukuda, and Tenoko was at the “front” of the walls, ready to attack anyone from their defenses. They would use ranged combat as long as possible, but were not going to let themselves be besieged. They would get off of the walls and join in Melee combat if necessary.
Eventually, many Water Tribes people noticed the Avatar’s forces moving out from Koldia and marching towards them. Moreover, the eclipse was beginning, and any waterbender was able to feel their power declining slowly, as if it were being drained from them slowly by an unseen parasite.
“Waterbenders, who are unable to wield a weapon, retreat within the walls!” Tenoko shouted. Naturally, the enormous walls around the Southern Water Tribe’s Capital City were not small, and so the word was passed on through the generals of the various divisions, “updated” as Tenoko spoke.
“You all are valiant fighters, but will be put ad a heinous disadvantage if you do not take shelter. Your Tribe will need you after the eclipse. Those of you who are adept with weapons may remain.”
Several waterbenders “went into hiding”, and were going to be ready strike out when the eclipse ended in a few hours. Others pulled out various weapons, from bows and arrows to swords and spears to axes and boomerangs. Kyla, Fukuda, and Michiko, all of whom were capable waterbenders, but not adept with weapons of any kind, went and took shelter as well. Michiko and Fukuda acted as bodyguards to little Kyla, who they now vowed to protect at all costs.
“I just feel so helpless,” Kyla remarked as they went into hiding, “like there’s nothing I can do but sit and wait around for the eclipse to end.”
“We have little choice in the matter,” Michiko replied, “without bending; there is little we could contribute.”
“I know,” Kyla sighed, “It’s just that feeling—you know, of wanting to help even when you know you can’t.”
“Indeed,” Michiko replied, “our time will come, Kyla Dao Le; just like our time for death to take us will. Until then, do not let it affect you.”
“Death,” Kyla asked, “or not being able to fight”
“Both,” Michiko answered. She smiled at her. Kyla, though not related to the Yao couple, looked at them as her grandparents. The rest of the Dao Le family was not nearly as familiar with them as Kyla was, not even her twin brother.
“Let’s hope though,” Fukuda added, to end the conversation on a more positive note, “that the former does not come for a while.”
Kyla did not respond. She simply put her arms around them both, and both Michiko and Fukuda smiled.
Back outside, Tenoko was almost sounding like a hypocrite with her words, as she was not weapons expert, and she of course, was a waterbender, and moreover, was staying out to fight. Her excuse though, was that as the Chief of the Southern Water Tribes, it would not be right for her to not be fighting alongside her warriors for the Tribe that she was running, regardless of the conditions. She was going to tough this out and improvises in whatever ways she needed to, but backing down was not an option for Chief Tenoko Dragmire at this point.
“This is it,” she said, as she and the others watched the enemy warriors come charging towards the city, “This is where we make or break the Southern Water Tribe Capital of Koldia—The City of Legend.”
It was Katara though, that inspired the troop movement. Sokka, his blades drawn, was skilled with several different types of weapons himself. Katara on the other hand, was only decently skilled with the knives that were part of a standard issue for a Kyoshi Warrior, and hardly knew the first thing about swordplay [Though she was, of course, an amazing bender]. She did, however, have a powerful throwing arm, which gave her decent skill in throwing a boomerang. This, when coordinated with Sokka’s efforts, made the two siblings quite destructive when they had boomerangs between them.
“Got a ‘rang to spare,” she asked him,
“Aye,” Sokka asked, “two in fact; why? Do you have an idea brewing?”
“Indeed,” Katara grinned, “just be sure to have them out, and climb onto my back. This is going to be a scary ride.”
“Climb on—what?” Sokka exclaimed, “Katara; that makes no sense. I’m too big for you to carry.”
“You underestimate the weight of all this bloody gear,” Katara remarked offhandedly, “but trust me—this is the way to get you down there and us into shredding some faces.”
“What are you doing,” Koara exclaimed,
“Watch, damn it,” Katara snapped, “Sokka, hold onto me.”
Sokka hesitantly put his arms around Katara, and then Katara whipped out her knives. She flung herself over the wall, and tabbed her blades into the icy fortress’ walls, which were easily around 10-20 feet thick.
Using firebending, she heated up her knives so that they would go through the otherwise impenetrable ice, and using this, she slowed her and Sokka’s fall until they were close enough to the ground that they could jump without getting hurt.
“Get the boomerangs,” she grinned, re-sheathing her knives, “we’re going to need them.”
“Katara,” Sokka laughed, realizing their plan, “you’re insane.”
“Hey,” she said, “we both were determined to sacrifice our lives to the Water Tribe like mom and dad did. What better way than to go all out on the enemy and catch them by surprise?”
“Hey,” said Sokka, “I don’t think they want us dying. I do think though, that we helping their nation and ours would be something they would appreciate. Katara get ready; and use your bending if you have to. Don’t feel restricted just because we waterbenders are.”
Katara nodded. “I won’t. I want to find this avatar, and take her down—make her scream—to compensate for the screams of the Water Tribes people that she and her forces have killed.”
“Katara, calm down,” Sokka warned, “anger is only a tool to one’s opponent. Relax. We are not fighting to massacre a people—we are fighting for the love and defense of our great country.”
Katara smiled, and noticed that there were a few extra warriors: Water Tribe, Kyoshi Warriors, Earth Kingdom, and Fire Nation alike, that were all around them. It was only a handful, but likely, these were some of the bet of the best.
“Thanks Sokka,” she whispered to him as the forces of The Avatar Guard drew nearer, “I needed that.”
“ATTACK AT WILL!” Tenoko bellowed from above, and soon, even catapults were getting moved into position up on the walls. The Avatar Guard’s forces collided with the warriors in front of the walls, and the walls themselves. This was going to be A War To Remember.
~Katara~
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