Iroh

That flare meant one thing to the firebenders gathered behind me. But to me, it had one meaning that stood out more than all else. My son was alive.

And so, I channeled my emotion. Not rage, nor anger, nor sorrow, but joy. Fire is unlike the other elements. Fire is alive. It feeds off of emotion. Those of its bender. Those of its victim. In recent years, the common idea regarding firebending was to fuel it with hatred more than all else. This false view of the most living element had created a military doctrine vile enough to result in the extermination of an entire race under Sozin.

I, however, knew better than him, as egotistic as it sounded. He could have his truth of fire as much as he wanted. It wouldn't do him any good anymore. Me, however, I guess you could say I was lucky. Because when I thought of my son, and the fact that I would get to see him on the other side of this wall in a matter of minutes, I channeled my emotions and I bent.

And the world in front of me became fire. Fire is alive. Fire has a purpose: to spread. And now, it had that chance, to open up a new world beyond these walls. And so it did. The hole was visible for only a matter of seconds before the collapse began.

I couldn't believe it in that moment. The one thing I had been looking forward to in the last year and a half, coming to me all at once. Coming to us.

The stone, weakened, lacking foundation, initiated its collapse. And in a domino motion, spread throughout a large stretch of the wall, forming a downward triangular shape in a wall that came collapsing down all at once. But we stood our ground. And in seconds. The world ahead of us was engulfed in dust.

The men behind me hesitated, but I had no intention on doing the same. Whatever lay beyond, I was ready for.

And so I walked, as the dust cleared, and I saw the wall to my left and right. I walked up the mounds of dirt and debris as last bits and pieces came falling down to my sides, but I wouldn't slow down.

And I saw then that my men had joined me behind me. I'm sure each and every one of them was just as eager as I to step to the other side. And soon enough, we had, and we were through.

And in once swift motion, the dust surrounding us, disappeared, and a battalion of Earth Kingdom soldiers appeared on the other side, the one thing remaining between us and the Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se.

And at that moment, I was fortunate enough to witness the looks on their faces, and the General in front of them, transition from resilience to absolute hopelessness as the Crimson Infantry, thousands of men, came into view behind me. Right past the wall.

So we stood, facing each other, in silence. I stood ready. My firebenders stood ready. And the infantry stood ready. We had brought down the walls of Ba Sing Se. A far as we were concerned, today, anything was possible.

And they saw it too. Our opponents. And they made their decision. Those holding spears, dropped them. Those holding bows, dropped them. Those holding Earth, dropped it. And the General in front of them, rightfully so, was the last to lay down his arms, releasing the tiny shards of Earth he had prepared to fire at us in front of him.

He had the opportunity to kill the leader of this siege right in front of him, but he, I could tell, wasn't the type of man I was accustomed to in my own nation. He was a man of honor. I recognized him too.

"General Hondu" I said.

"General Iroh." He responded.

"You defeated us and the 5th Corps in our last assault. You were a worthy foe, but we have won today. Surrender yourself and your men and you will be treated fairly and returned to your families once this war is done."

General Hondu closed his eyes and reached into his belt, pulling out a sheathed dagger in a motion that required me to raise a hand to calm the two firebenders to my side.

Hondu kneeled and unsheathed the blade, presenting it to me, as his battalion behind him surrendered, kneeling as well.

I accepted the blade from him as he remained kneeled, and I read the inscription.

"Never give up without a fight." I could see now what it meant for this man to surrender himself, abandoning his pride and record to save his men. A true man of honor.

"Captain." I said, turning to the my firebending Captain, Zee'kran, at my side. "Gather the prisoners and find somewhere hospitable to keep them. Ensure they are fed and have any and all of their injuries treated."

"Yes sir. Is the battle over, sir?"

"Yes, captain. The battle is over."

And indeed it was. We had taken the walls of Ba Sing Se.

But this war, was far from over.