26 Incessant Pests

Macai and his forces fortify the city with local Fire Nation army troopers. Citizens are rounded up for identification and the town is put on martial law until the area is fully secured. All citizens are given curfews regarding when they can leave the town. The Earth Kingdom flag is taken down and burned by Fire Nation forces.

Macai is waiting at a temporary office signing several papers, when the Fire Nation Captain Zergo visits him. The office has dark yellow walls, a sand color floor, and a sand-colored ceiling. Captain Zergo: "Well, I must say I am impressed. You did very well in battle. Your unit is the real deal."

Macai nods his head, "That wasn't our hardest battle either. We fought against the Purple Burrays and that was insane. Our first mission was also very difficult for different reasons. To be honest, every mission exhibited a different challenge."

Captain Zergo: "A special guest would like to see you."

Macai asks, "Is it the general?" Zergo exists the room.

"No, but an old friend. One who you don't see enough of." Macai looks and sees Commander Kenshin.

Macai smiles, "It's good to see you again. But I don't know about old friend. It's only been a year you know."

Commander Kenshin: "Something like that, but it has also been an honor. Your company has done a splendid job. I'm more than impressed."

Macai: "Thank you sir, you have supplied my unit with all of the resources needed to be successful. You have also given me an opportunity that many would oppose and I proved myself."

Kenshin responds, "Indeed, I took quite the risk on you. But you proved yourself right and a lot of people wrong. You proved that young guns can be quite capable with the right preparation."

Macai comments, "I get the feeling I won't be the only one. Azula's future looks promising."

Kenshin complements his protege, "It seems you are paving the way for more people like yourself."

Macai: "Well, we have a few stories about capable young warriors. As well as some about young Firelords and what-not. You know how it goes."

Kenshin smiles, "Indeed. I've heard those tales, but people tend to lose faith in them and see them as occasional fantasies. But my tip was not solely social."

Macai: "Of course, why else have you come?"

Kenshin: "I've been informed that the enemies are preparing a counterattack. They retreated to save what they had but, we're hoping that we would drop our guards. Scouts detected a massive team of Earth Kingdom troopers heading our way. They also noticed that we are short of vehicles after the last few battles."

Macai: "So they brought some of their own?"

Kenshin nods, "Indeed, they have brought GFD-86 light assault tanks. These tanks have an anti-infantry design. They are quicker than most tanks and rapidly fire five-foot-long blades at their opponents. They are a new experimental vehicle and they fire about one hundred and twenty shots per minute."

Macai: "That's pretty fast."

Kenshin: "It's unheard of for their kind. A top-of-the-line Earth Kingdom tank."

Macai: "How many do they have?"

Kenshin: "I'm thinking about four of them."

Macai: "How long do you think it will take them to get here?"

Kenshin: "I'm thinking three days, maybe less."

Macai: "I will prepare my men. It's been a pleasure seeing you, Kenshin."

Kenshin: "Oh, I'm going to be here as well. Let's have a strategic meeting tomorrow morning."

Macai salutes Kenshin, "Yessir." Kenshin does the same and exits.

Macai meets in the briefing room with Kenshin, Kanna, Kett, Asad, Captain Zergo, Lieutenant Gufo, and other officers. The briefing room is located within the center of the city. It has caramel brown walls, a beige ceiling, and a light grey floor. There are several brown leather seats scattered throughout the room.

Commander Kenshin: "Intelligence estimates that will be outnumbered about ten to one, even with my reinforcements. We will have to hold out until our auxiliaries can come and fortify our defenses. So, here is the plan. We will leave a few scattered army troopers outside of the city, they will pretend they do not expect an incoming attack. Once they are attacked by enemy forces, they must immediately flee."

Kenshin continues, "After our initial team falls back, the archers will cover them on the rooftops. A few army troopers and marines will wait with them on the rooftops in case, enemy infantry forces attempt to flank them. The archers and rooftop forces will eventually fall back to the city center square, where we will make our last stand. Gentlemen, it has been an honor."

Macai comments, "Leave it to my forces to soften the enemies up while you retreat to the center square. We will try to deal as much damage as we can, before the last stand. Hopefully, we'll cause enough damage to hold them off. If not, then it has been a pleasure serving with you all." Macai salutes the audience and they salute him.

Dade sits outside beside Basin as they talk about the mission. Dade: "I'm not scared anymore. I've seen it all at this point. Monsters, crazy cultists, terrorists, earth kingdom soldiers, combustion benders... At this rate, I either live or die. I want to live, but if I die, I won't go without a fight."

Basin: "I appreciate your help out there. My side is healing and I'm ready to fight."

Dade cautious, "No you're not. Wait with the central forces and save it for the last stand if that must happen."

Basin: "I've been doing back exercises already."

Dade: "Don't over-exert yourself."

Basin snarls, "I know."

Dade: "I'm just looking out for you."

Basin sighs, "I know, I appreciate it. But I just want to make these suckers pay for what they did to me."

Dade nods his head, "In due time, hopefully."

Sonna sits between them, "So, you both are getting along now. That's great."

Basin: "I've never had an issue with Dade. Just Kett."

Dade: "Kett's a nice guy. He just has little patience for certain things."

Basin: "I just think Kett is a little full of himself."

Dade responds, "And you aren't? You complain a good amount and can be difficult to deal with."

Basin: "Alright, I'm sorry."

Dade: "You should make up with Kett. You both may not be best friends right away, but you can move past this. Gradually."

Basin: "Ok, I'll try."

Kett walks behind Basin, "Well, well, well. What have we here?" Basin sighs.

Kett extends his hand, "I'm willing to work my way through this. One step at a time, if you are." Basin shakes Kett's hand.

Dade looks at Sonna, "You did a good job by the way."

Sonna: "Oh thanks, you did too."

Dade: "Well, I did a good job at getting myself knocked out."

Sonna: "Oh please. You took on an earth bender commando. That's impressive. You also took a good amount of their troopers down and saved Basin's life."

Dade: "You're right. I just get a little too focused on Macai sometimes. Or Kett or Kanna..."

Sonna: "We all have something to contribute and we all are doing our part. They also need your help. We are a unit and none of us can win this fight alone. So keep doing what you're doing." Sonna pats Dade in the back and Dade smiles.

Macai calls for his marines to meet him. Macai: "Sonna, I want you to cover one of those rooftops on the left side of the city and bombard the enemy. But you're going to need some help. I'm going to have Dade and a firebender to cover you. Arret, I want you to hold another rooftop in the center of the city. I'll have Cosal and another marine cover you. Kedo, I'll have you cover a building on the right flank. Two marines will be with you."

Macai continues, "I will have one nonbender and one firebender behind each archer. That way the defense teams will be fairly well-rounded. Remember, only a few of our forces will actually be on these rooftop teams, but most of them are skilled warriors. So I need you all to retreat around the same time as the enemy closes in. We may live to fight another day, so no unnecessary risks."

Kett asks, "And what about the rest of us?"

Macai: "Kett, Kanna, and Ronin I want you all to wait at different ambush positions to intercept the enemy and cover some of our forces that are falling back in the city streets. Pick off enemy infantry and if the enemies send in vehicles then take those out there where you can flank them. But I would imagine the enemies will wait and deploy their vehicles last. We will leave some enemy catapults in-tact to dispatch their tanks and save fire for when our forces flee the plaza."

Kett nods his head. Kanna looks at her friends nervously. Kett: "We've got this Kanna." A Fire Nation army scout runs toward Macai.

Macai looks at the scout, "Yessir?"

Army scout: "They were about fifty meters from the city when I spotted them with my telescope. Now I think they'll be about forty meters from the city. There is no time to waste."

Macai yells, "Get into positions!" Dozens of Fire Nation soldiers prepare for battle and city bells are rung. Macai stands in the center of the city with several soldiers around him. Captain Zergo and Lieutenant Gufo stand a few feet away from him with several army troopers. Commander Kenshin is a few feet right of Macai's position with four marines from his unit.

Kenshin's marines have rank. Three of them have bronze stripes on their armor and another has silver stripes on her armor. All of Kenshin's guards are firebenders. Meanwhile, dozens of Earth Kingdom troopers charge toward the city. A line of Fire Nation Army troopers stand about five feet outside of the city with their weapons ready.

The archers open fire and take down several advancing Earth Kingdom troopers. Sonna shoots an arrow into the neck of an advancing Earth Kingdom swordsman. Sonna continues to suppress fire and shoots down another two Earth Kingdom troopers. Sonna tilts her head right and notices an Earth Kingdom archer coming.

Sonna crouches low and fires an arrow into the chest of the archer. An arrow flies just a few feet left of Sonna's head. Sonna turns and launches an arrow into the mouth of a distant archer. Sonna takes cover again. Dade: "Looks like they got archers incoming."

The firebender beside Dade looks across at the archer on a rooftop right of their position and the archer is shot in the neck by an arrow. The marine archer falls forward off the building. Meanwhile, Arret is engaged in a shootout with hostile archers. Cosal and a firebender stay at cover behind Arret.

Arret propels an arrow into the chest of a distant archer who is directly across her. An archer right of Arret's position takes aim at her. Cosal: "Arret, look out!" Arret looks at the archer, but a friendly Archer shoots the Earth Kingdom archer down. Arret turns her head and smiles at the friendly archer two buildings away. The archer gives Arret a thumbs up.

The Earth Kingdom troopers charge at greater speed and are soon only a few feet away from the Fire Nation troopers in front of the city. The archers keep firing and shoot down several of the Earth Kingdom troopers, but that does not slow their enemies down. Arret fires another arrow into the forehead of an axman and the axman falls forward in the sand.

As the Earth Kingdom forces get close, several earthbenders fire projectiles into army troopers. Some earthbenders launch themselves forward with sand to close the distance and other earthbenders fire sand into Fire Nation troopers. The firebenders attempt to return fire with spurts of fire, but their flames do not travel as fast as the projectiles fired by earthbenders and are still easier to dodge than streams of sand.

The Earth Kingdom troopers begin to close the line as swordsmen, spearmen, and axmen engage Fire Nation troopers. Asad is in the line with Fire Nation troopers on the frontlines as he sees several Earth Kingdom troopers charge toward him. Asad thrusts his right and left arms forward, blasting two Earth Kingdom troopers (one swordsman and one mace-wielding warrior) with fireballs.

One Earth Kingdom brute charges and smacks a Fire Nation swordsman aside. Another Fire Nation swordsman with a sword charges toward the axman. The vanguard swings his blade up and cuts the trooper down. Another Fire Nation trooper charges behind the vanguard and jumps on his back. Earth Kingdom vanguard: "Get off!"

The vanguard elbows the trooper in the stomach and the trooper struggles to keep a hold of his opponent. The trooper ends the fight as he thrusts his blade into the axman's neck. The axman falls and the swordsman pulls his sword back. As the Fire Nation swordsman does this, an Earth Kingdom swordsman sprints behind him. The Fire Nation sword-wielder swiftly turns and vertically cuts his opponent down.

Another Earth Kingdom swordsman charges at the trooper and diagonally swings at him. The trooper tilts his sword to the right and blocks the attack. The Fire Nation trooper kicks his enemy down. A Fire Nation Army lieutenant shouts, "Fall back! All troops, fall back!"

The Fire Nation troopers start fleeing from the battle as swarms of earthbenders advance toward the city streets. On the right flank, Kedo tilts his head up and flicks a blazing arrow into an approaching archer across him. Kedo glances right of his direction and notices an enemy archer. Kedo shifts his bow to the right and the enemy archer turns in Kedo's direction.

Both archers take aim, but Kedo is faster. Kedo rapidly pounds an ignited arrow in the chest of his enemy. Kedo looks down and launches a hot arrow into the neck of an earthbender who is firing several projectiles at Fire Nation troopers. Firebender: "Nice shooting." The firebender has light brown wavy hair, beige skin, a long pointy nose, and caramel eyes.

Kedo shrugs his shoulders, "All in a day's work."

Firebender: "What does that even mean?"

Kedo: "Hey what's your name?"

Firebender: "Josi."

Kedo: "Well nice to meet you Josi, I've never seen you before."

Josi: "That's because I'm one of the newer guys. Just got transferred a couple of weeks ago from an army regiment actually."

Kedo asks, "How long have you served?"

Josi: "Two years, going on three."

Kedo loads his arrow, "How old are you?"

Josi: "Twenty-one."

Kedo opens fire at a distant Earth Kingdom trooper, "What made you join?"

Josi: "My job was so boring. I was a carpenter, but I really couldn't get into it. To be honest, I wasn't that good at it. I tried working at a store and that was even more boring. The store job also didn't pay that well, since it wasn't my store. More of a family business being overworked and underpaid."

The swordsman looks down left of their direction, "They are fighting in the streets." Josi turns his head and looks left, then hears a snap right of him. Josi looks right and notices a hook on the right edge of the building. Josi kicks the hook off the rooftop. Another two hooks land on the front edge of the building and two hooks land on the rear edge of the building.

Another hook lands on the left side of the building. A swordsman travels up the right hook and two Earth Kingdom troopers enter on the rear flank. Kedo sprints forward and kicks the hook across him on the front left side of the structure. An Earth Kingdom trooper with a sword travels up the front right center of the building.

Josi shifts his hands forward and blasts the swordsman in front of him off the building. The Fire Nation swordsman looks at the Earth Kingdom trooper on his left and moves toward him. The marine swings vertically at the Earth Kingdom trooper. The Earth Kingdom swordsman horizontally blocks the strike, but the Fire Nation swordsman kicks him off the platform. Earth Kingdom swordsman: "Ahhhh!"

An Earth Kingdom duelist rushes behind the marine swordsman. Kedo darts a broiling arrow at the swordsman. The swordsman swats the arrow aside and charges at the marine swordsman. The Earth Kingdom swordsman lunges his blade at the marine's stomach. The marine leaps right and jumps behind the Earth Kingdom swordsman.

The marine promptly grabs onto the Earth Kingdom swordsman and slits his throat. The other Earth Kingdom trooper on the platform is a bender. Josi punches a rectangle of fire at the Earth Kingdom trooper. The Earth Kingdom trooper flips backward on a building behind them. Kedo: "What is he doing?"

The Earth Kingdom trooper tightens his fists and pulls them down; causing the roof to collapse. Kedo, Josi, and the marine swordsman fall one level down. Kedo is more and can feel the sting on his arms as he rises to his feet. The other marines also stand. Kedo: "There was our exit. We could have quickly jumped to another rooftop, but now it's going to take us longer."

The marine swordsman looks outside of a window and sees dozens of Earth Kingdom troopers advancing through the streets. The marine winces, "Um, I see a lot of enemies outside of this building. We can't confront them without getting in a fight. I don't know if the earthbender is looking for a fight with our other forces or will come back for more."

Kedo responds, "It might be a good idea to lay low for now so we don't get killed. If our allies push them back, we can spring into action. For now, I say we wait and stay ready."

Josi: "I agree."

Meanwhile, Sonna, Dade, and the firebender are standing on a rooftop. Sonna: "Enemies are closing in. We better fall back before they make it over here."

Dade: "Are you sure you don't want to take a few more of them out first."

Sonna: "I've already struck it in the double digits. It's better to be safe." Sonna, Dade, and the firebender leap across several rooftops as they move to keep a distance from their enemies. Sonna raises her right fist for the group to stop, "Alright, turn around and get ready. All the enemies won't come at once, but several of their troopers will be waiting to engage us. We need to hit them now and thin their numbers out. Then flee, since there is no archer to cover our immediate right flank."

Dade crouches low and the firebender does the same. Dade: "It's your show Sonna. We're just here as bodyguards." Sonna notices her eyes and sees several Earth Kingdom troopers advancing in her direction. Sonna notices several hooks planted on a building that is about eight rooftops away. Either Earth Kingdom troopers suddenly scale the walls. Three of them are swordsmen, two are earthbenders, and two of them have throwable knives.

Sonna: "I guess they thought we would still be there." Sonna fires an arrow into the neck of a knife thrower in the distance. The other Earth Kingdom troopers immediately sprint forward and leap on another rooftop. Sonna bolts an arrow into the chest of an earthbender. The Earth Kingdom squad leaps towards another building and Sonna darts an arrow into the chest of a swordsman. The five warriors have a lapse in confidence from the attacks and suddenly pause. Sonna takes aim at another knife thrower and opens fire.

The earthbender in the squad raises his right arm and he rips off a piece of the roof then raises it. The roof fragment hits the arrow and the arrow falls. The earthbender extends his arm and launches the object a Sonna. Sonna dives right and slowly gets back up. Dade raises his head and notices the enemy jump across another rooftop.

Sonna takes aim at the earthbender again and he extends both of his hands, ripping three fragments from the rooftop behind him. Sonna's eyes widen and the earthbender launches the objects at Sonna's team. Dade leaps backward from a fragment that almost crushes him. Sonna falls flat on her face as she evades an incoming fragment. The firebender is knocked off the building by another fragment.

Sonna looks at Dade, "Let's get out of here." Dade nods his head. Sonna looks and notices her enemies jump across another rooftop. They are just four rooftops away now and the earthbender extends his arms again as he attempts to raise more fragments. Sonna looks down at a haystack near under them, "When I jump, we jump off this building into that haystack."

Dade: "What?!" The earthbender launches five fragments at Sonna and Dade's position.

Sonna: "Jump!" Sonna and Dade jump into the haystack.

Dade looks up, "We're lucky some fragments didn't fall on top of us from that attack."

Sonna: "Quickly, get up Dade. We've got to get out of this haystack and run across the streets so they don't see us. Most of our enemies shouldn't have gotten this far yet."

Dade: "Or else, that guy will spam more debris at us from above." Sonna and Dade sprint out of the building and across the city streets. While this is happening, Arret hurls an arrow into the neck of an Earth Kingdom trooper below her position.

Cosal warns, "They're under us. They'll be right under us any minute now and will likely set people up against us."

Arret: "Should we leave?"

Cosal: "I say we wait one second and knock their hooks down. Then run, look around us and be ready." Two hooks suddenly are thrown on the front edge of the building. Cosal: "Now!" Cosal runs forward and kicks the hook off. Arret kicks the other hook off.

Another two hooks are thrown on the rear side of the building. The firebender leaps forward and blasts the hooks of the building. One hook is tossed on each side of the building (left and right). The marine swordsman knocks the hook off on the left side. An Earth Bender rises on the right side of the building and the firebender presses his hands forward; launching an explosive fire blast into the intruder.

The Earthbender flies off the platform, "NooooooO!"

Cosal comments, "See how experience pays off. Now let's go." Cosal turns his head left of their position and notices an Earth Kingdom swordsman emerge on the right flank of the building left of their position. Arret rapidly pops an arrow in the swordsman's back.

Cosal: "Nice, now let's go. Hopefully, they'll fend them off and get back in time. If we waste too much time covering them, we'll be exposed."

Arret replies, "Well, they are 31st troopers. Of course, they'll be fine." Arret, Cosal, and the Firebender leap across several rooftops as they move to link up with allies. While their team is advancing they notice a team of Earth Kingdom troopers a few buildings right of their direction and several Earth Kingdom troopers advancing across the streets below.

Cosal: "Looks like they're making their way around. We are exposed out here though. We need to leave it to someone else to deal with that."

Firebender: "Like who?"

Glory and Honor

Kett leaps a building across the Earth Kingdom trooper team. Kett notices an earthbender, a knife thrower, and three swordsmen. One of the Earth Kingdom swordsmen looks up, "Hey guys, we've got company. One of them is all alone, easy pickings."

Kett presses his hands together and pours a team of light orange fire into the swordsman. The swordman shouts in agony and Kett rotates his arm right. The earthbender dives on the ground and two of his comrades (the knife-thrower and a swordsman) are burned to death. Kett extends his right arm and shoots a flame into the swordsman across the earthbender. The earthbender slowly stands and notices his entire squad has been dispatched.

The man looks across at Kett with contempt. Earthbender: "You killed my squad!"

Kett: "Yep, all part of the job."

Earthbender: "You piece of garbage, I'm gonna crush you!" The earthbender lifts his hands and raises two large seven feet wide and five feet tall rectangular objects by prying them from nearby buildings.

Kett: "You're ruining your own city." The earthbender turns his right hand horizontally and chucks the object at Kett. Kett leaps on top of the object and jumps off it toward his opponent. The earthbender tosses his second object at Kett. Kett points his hand up and shoots of stream of fire that launches himself away from the object and into the rooftop below where his enemy is.

Kett hits his head and groans in pain. While this is happening, the two objects collide in air over their position and fall. One object falls in an alley left of their position and the other falls directly above Kett. Kett rolls left as the object hits the roof.

Kett gets back on his feet and the earth bender stretches his arms forward. Several objects fly toward Kett and Kett twirls his hands in a circular motion. Kett creates a swirl of fire that absorbs the incoming debris. Earthbender: "What do you think you're doing?" Kett presses his right hand forward and pushes a ray of light orange fire out of his swirl of flames.

The beam of fire burns through incoming projectiles and incinerates the earthbender. Earthbender: "Raaaaahhhh!" Kett analyzes the battlefield to see where his other enemies are. Meanwhile, a team of five Earthbenders are advancing down a street. The one in front of the team is an earthbender. There are two swordsmen behind him and there are two warriors with long axes behind them.

Kanna leaps on a building right from the troopers' position. Kanna tosses an explosive beam of fire between two of the earthbenders. The beam blasts one of the swordsmen and an axman on the right flank. The earthbender turns and notices Kanna, "Get that girl!" Kanna fires another explosive flame between the other axman and swordsman. The troopers are blown away.

The earthbender backpedals in fear and runs away from Kanna's position. As this is happening, Ronin hooks an explosive flame between another squad of Earth Kingdom troopers under him. Three of the troopers immediately collapse and Ronin jabs two swift flames into the stragglers. Ronin looks ahead and notices two archers on a rooftop across him.

Ronin: "Oh great." The archers immediately fire at Ronin. Ronin runs and leaps on a building left of his position. The archers take aim again one of them opens fire. Ronin ducks and an arrow flies over his head. Ronin starts climbing down the building at an angle where the archers can't target him. Ronin sneaks across an alley.

Most of the Fire Nation troopers are gathered at the center square. The center square covers about 50 meters of territory and there is a state of an Earth Kingdom hero named Herrona. She was a legendary earthbender who defeated many Fire Nation and Water Tribe forces that attempted to invade the city. During an age where the Earth Kingdom was attracted by both factions. During that time the Water Tribes were feared barbarians who attacked and conquered several territories.

Kett doesn't fall back instead, Kett describes to hide inside of a building and wait for enemy forces. Kett gets two Firebenders to accompany him. Firebender: "What are we doing Kett?"

Kett: "We're going to wait and attack when the enemies don't expect it. I'd like to wait for some of those tanks and take a crack at them. I hear they're not the most durable, but we are just going to put people at risk if we wait for the tanks to deploy in front of our unit while everyone is piled up. The tank would massacre our troops. Macai said some of us should wait in line for an ambush."

Firebender: "I hope some of the other firebenders are doing the same on the other flanks. We need to be spread out if we want to do damage."

Kett: "That's true but we also need to be careful. We are scattered and outnumbered. That means we are also vulnerable."

Sonna and Dade make it to the central plaza and enter the massive formation. Dade: "Go further back with the rest of the archers, I'll hold here with our troopers."

Sonna responds, "I won't go too far back. I'll make sure I cover you."

Macai notices Asad joining the formation. Macai: "Do you know where Ronin is?"

Asad: "I have no idea. He was pushing some enemies back and flanking them, as was Kanna. But I think Ronin got pushed back by some hostile archers. Because I heard a couple of our teams got hit around his position. Which means he wasn't covering them. Nevertheless, he seemed to do a good job up until that point."

Macai looks up and notices dozens of Earth Kingdom troopers charging across the city streets toward the plaza. Macai: "Get ready, here they come!" Macai gets in his battle stance. Asad moves on Macai's right flank and also enters his battle stance. A swordsman watches Macai's left flank. Dozens of Earth Kingdom troopers charge and several of them are pelted with arrows as they advance.

Arret is in one of the back positions and bolts an arrow into the neck of an approaching Earth Kingdom trooper. Cosal looks at Arret, "Nice shot, I'm going to move a bit ahead. But good work out their kiddo." Cosal advances and a firebender covers Cosal's right flank and a spearman covers his left flank.

An Earth Kingdom soldier rushes forward and swings his sword vertically at a Fire Nation trooper. The army trooper pulls his sword up and horizontally blocks the strike. The Fire Nation trooper pushes his sword up and his enemy's blade back. The trooper horizontally cuts the Earth Kingdom swordsman down.

An Earth Kingdom vanguard sprints forward. The man is about seven feet tall with massive muscles. He knocks a fire nation trooper aside and the trooper flies into Asad. Asad pushes the corpse off him and slowly scrambles to his feet. Asad sees two Fire Nation marines charge at the vanguard.

The brute swings his blade left and cuts one of the marines down. The marine on his right lunges at the large man. The vanguard swiftly grabs the man's neck and snaps it by tightening his grip. Asad presses his hands forward and blasts a large flame into the brute, taking him down. Samira charges left of Asad's position and thrusts her spear into an Earth Kingdom swordsman's check.

Samira looks at Asad, "Nice work Asad."

Asad: "Thanks Samira. You know, the thing about these brutes is that they're easy targets." Samira proceeds to knock the corpse aside and slam her spear into an incoming swordsman. An enemy spearman lunges his blade at Samira's face. Samira diagonally shifts her spear to the left and pushes the spear aside. Samira rotates her weapon, leaps forward, and vertically cuts her opponent down.

Macai notices several Earth Kingdom troopers charging in his direction. One has a spear, another has a sword, and a third one is an earthbender. Macai rapidly shifts his arms side to side and fires white flames into them. One Earth Kingdom spearman charges toward Macai and Macai extends his left arm then smacks the spearman aside with a white fire whip.

An earthbender leaps in front of Macai. Macai extends his arms and jabs a white rectangle of fire at his opponent. The earthbender raises his arms and blocks the shot with a wall of stone. The wall breaks into several fragments and the earthbender is briefly blinded by the bright light. Macai presses his right hand forward and shoots a flame into the bender's stomach.

While the troopers fight at the plaza Kett looks outside of a window and sees an Earth Kingdom light assault tank approaching. These tanks have light grey armor with green stripes and extended nozzles. Kett: "They are here! Get ready everyone."

Firebender: "What are we going to do Kett? What's the plan?"

Kett: "We take that thing out. They're light tanks, so they can't take much abuse." Kett travels up the stairs and the two firebenders follow him. Kett looks down at the tank and blasts a ray of light orange fire through its nozzle. The shot splits the tank nozzle in two. Kett laughs, "Ha, those earth tanks are pathetic."

Firebender: "But I bet they have them scattered throughout this area. We've got to hit them all." Kett and the firebenders notice four troopers around the tank. Kett and his allies fire several flames down at their enemies. The flames pelt three of the troopers but, the last one is an earthbender. The earthbender creates a shield of stone around himself.

Kett: "Alright, we all fire power shots on him at three." Both of the firebenders immediately knock powerful orange flames at the earthbender. Both of the orange shots knock off two-thirds of the shield. Kett: "Ok, fine. On one." Kett jabs a bright orange ray of flames into the shield and the barrier breaks in pieces. The fragments of the destroyed shield glide into the bender's armor, killing him

Firebender: "Such a brutal job, but I like it."

Kett replies, "You're losing it." Kett and his fellow firebenders jump on a building right of their position. Kett looks down and notices another tank with four Earth Kingdom troopers around it. Kett: "Alright, you all know the drill." One of the firebenders shoots an explosive flame into the tank nozzle, blowing it in two.

Kett immediately zaps a beam of bright fire into one of the troopers. The Fire Nation marines shoot two flames into Earth Kingdom troopers below. One of the Earth Kingdom troops runs into the bottom floor of the building below them. Kett: "Ignore him but be ready to take him out if he gets in our way." An arrow flies into the firebender right of Kett's position.

Firebender: "Ahhh!"

Kett frowns and turns his head. Kett notices two archers on a distant building. The archers open fire again, but Kett horizontally knocks a rapid bright orange beam of fire at them. The beam blasts the arrows aside and quickly burns the archers down. Archer: "Gaaaaaahhhh!"

Fire Nation trooper (looking at his fallen ally): "This is a brutal job indeed."

Another Earth Kingdom tank is advancing across the other side of the city. Kanna gallops on the left side of the building and fires a blast of dark orange fire into the back head of the tank. The shot leaves a black stain on the back head of the vehicle, but doesn't destroy it. Kanna: "Dang it, maybe I should try blasting that nozzle."

The tank rotates its gun and rapidly shoots a volley of sharp projectiles at Kanna. The 31st scout sprints away from the tank to the center of the building. The tank keeps its nozzle aimed at Kanna's position while the four troops in its escort rush into the building that Kanna is in. Kanna looks right of her position and notices two earthbenders following her.

Kanna: "Great, just when my day couldn't get any worse." The earthbenders fire several projectiles at Kanna. Kanna sprints away from the shots and dives onto another building. The earthbenders pursue her and leap a few feet behind her. Kanna swiftly turns and kicks a dark orange flame into the earthbender behind her.

The earthbender flies off the platform and the other earthbender raises his hands, pulling a piece of the roof off. The earthbender launches it at Kanna. Kanna leaps off the building, but rapidly rotates her body and catches herself on its edge. The Earthbender briefly looks down and notices Kanna is still holding on.

The earthbender presses his left hand forward and causes the part of the building Kanna is holding onto to collapse and break off. Kanna immediately pulls herself up and springs off the crumbling debris. The earthbender directs several projectiles at Kanna, but he is too slow. The shots fly short of Kanna's position. The young lady points her arms forward and zaps an explosive dark orange flame at the bender.

The earthbender pulls his hands forward to block the shot, but it is too powerful. The explosion knocks the earthbender down and through the roof. A faction of the ceiling caves in and the earthbender falls a floor below. Kanna gracefully lands and notices four Earth Kingdom troopers emerge on the building behind her.

Kanna rapidly pops two dark orange flames at the troopers. One of them is shot down, but the other trooper is an earthbender. The earthbender pulls his arms and a piece of the ceiling flows in front of his hands. The roof fragment blocks the flame and the earthbender launches the shield at Kanna. Kanna leaps right and evades the shot.

Kanna doesn't feel like being bothered, so she immediately sprints away from them. The earthbender hurls several fragments at Kanna, but Kanna outruns the shots then leaps onto another rooftop. Kanna runs away from the trooper's position. The Earth Kingdom soldiers swiftly realize Kanna is too fast for them to keep up with.

Earth Kingdom trooper: "So should we head back down?"

Earthbender: "No, patrol the rooftops. She can easily flank the tank from a position like this and we cannot allow it. If we're up here, we limit her movement. So keep moving beside the tank."

On another side of the city, a light Earth Kingdom vehicle advances across the city streets and four Earth Kingdom troopers walk around it. Ronin peaks his head out of the window of a nearby building. Ronin wonders, "Is it a good time to get back on a rooftop? Maybe someone else got those archers' attention." Ronin climbs back on the building's rooftop and doesn't notice any archers. Ronin flings an explosive blast of fire into the tank nozzle.

The tank nozzle breaks, and the Earth Kingdom troopers immediately panic. Ronin punches two flames into two of the troopers. One of them was the earthbender in the squad and another was a swordsman. The rest of them don't have the weapons to compete. Ronin kicks another two flames into the remaining troopers. Ronin moves to flank another tank when he notices Kanna running leaping on the same rooftop.

Ronin: "Did you get the tank?"

Kanna: "I did not. I got some of the troops, but I hit the tank on the wrong spot."

Ronin: "Aww, should have went for the nozzle, that works. As long as they're disabled." Ronin and Kanna sprint toward the tank and leap on another rooftop. They notice an earthbender flips on the other side of the rooftop with a swordsman on his right and a spearman on his left.

Earth Kingdom trooper: "It's not too late to surrender."

Ronin: "Oh please."

Kanna taunts, "Surrender? You wish." Kanna presses her hands together and hurls an explosive dark orange flame into the chest of the swordsman across her. Ronin extends his right hand and fires a flame into the chest of the spearman across him. Ronin shifts his body and pounds another flame at the earthbender's head. The earthbender crouches and leaps left of the shot.

The earthbender extends his hands and causes the portion of the roof that Kanna and Ronin are standing on to cave in. Ronin falls down to the floor below but, Kanna hops off the platform before it collapses and lands a few feet away from the earthbender. The earthbender pulls his arms left and throws an object at Kanna. Kanna ducks and kicks a rod of dark orange fire into the man's stomach. The earthbender flies off the building.

Kanna looks down at Ronin's position, "Come on, get up here. Stop playing around." Ronin shakes his head and regroups with Kanna. The two of them leap onto another building and peek down at the tank below them. Kanna: "Alright, let's make it count." Ronin peeks ahead and notices three Earth Kingdom commandos on the building across them.

Ronin: "Commandos!" Kanna turns her head and notices the commandos.

Kanna: "Aww, great." One of the commandos dives on the building and rapidly throws two knives at Kanna and Ronin's necks. Kanna ducks and Ronin leaps left, but almost falls off the building. Ronin hastily rebalances himself and stumbles a couple of inches forward. Kanna raises her hands and throws a spinning ball of dark orange fire at the commando's stomach.

The commando springs over the flame and behind Kanna. Kanna back kicks the commando off the platform. Commando: "Aaaaawwwwwaa!" The other two commandos leap on the platform.

Ronin immediately presses his hands and fires an explosive orange flame at the commando. The commando ducks then gallops forward and lodges a stone into Ronin's stomach. Ronin slides backward.

Kanna kicks a flame at a commando's right leg. The commando weaves left as he kicks a stone at Kanna's left arm. Kanna turns her body right then extends her left hand, popping a dark orange fireball at the commando's head. The commando tilts his head forward and his helmet absorbs the shot. Kanna's eyes widen, and the commando immediately raises his head as he looks her eye to eye.

The commando presses his hands and propels three sharp projectiles at Kanna's chest. Kanna lunges in the air and kicks a dark orange stream of fire into the commando's neck. The commando's charred body rolls off the building.

Ronin slaps his hands together and shoots a stream of fire at the commando in front of him. The commando dashes right of the attack and Kanna leaps behind the commando. The commando swings at Kanna's head with a diagonal roundhouse kick.

Kanna ducks and kicks the commando in the stomach. The elite soldier backpedals toward the edge of the building but, gathers himself. The commando zooms in the air, but Ronin knocks an orange flame into his chest, causing the commando to fall to his demise.

Kanna: "Not bad."

Ronin: "Come on." Ronin and Kanna sprint after the tank but they notice that it is gone.

Kanna comments, "Wow, were we really fighting that long?"

Ronin confirms, "Apparently." Ronin looks ahead of their position and notices the tank at the edge of the street.

Kanna: "Uh oh."

Meanwhile, Macai kicks a white rod of fire into an incoming Earth Kingdom trooper. Macai notices an Earth Kingdom tank approaching.

Macai: "Tank!" The tank immediately shoots a rapid volley of sharp projectiles at the Fire Nation troopers. The projectiles immediately fly through four Fire Nation soldiers (including one marine). The commander concentrates and waits for the tank nozzle to aim at him.

Asad looks at Macai and notices that he is standing still. Asad: "Macai, what are you doing?! Get down, take cover!" Macai hurls a beam of white fire through the projectiles fired in his direction, the stream flows into the nozzle of the tank into its head. The head of the tank explodes from the concentrated white fire. Macai smiles.

Asad slowly pulls his head up in amazement. Samira pumps her spear in the head, "Come on!" A massive boost in morale occurs and the Fire Nation troopers charge forward in a blaze of glory. Several arrows fly into advancing Earth Kingdom troopers. Fire Nation troopers charge forward and cut down several Earth Kingdom warriors.

Samira launches her spear into the belly of an Earth Kingdom axman, then kicks him down. Dade swings his blade up and cuts down an Earth Kingdom trooper. Asad fires two flames into incoming Earth Kingdom troopers. Macai looks ahead and notices two Earth Kingdom commandos moving in his direction.

One commando fires several projectiles into two Fire Nation troopers (one with a spear and the other is a swordsman). The other commando sprints toward a Fire Nation bender. The bender presses his hands together and shoots an explosive flame at the commando. The commando hops behind the firebender and snaps his neck.

Macai: "How rude. You'll pay dearly for that." Macai leaps directly in front of him and notices a man riding a ball of earth. The man has tan skin, a fairly muscular body, who appears to be in his mid-forties, has medium-length coarse black hair (with hints of grey), and light green eyes. The man jumps off the ball and lands a few feet away from Macai.

Man: "You have gotten my attention, so now you are my priority target. Taking you out will cripple the Fire Nation's momentum."

Macai smiles, "General Gambo, it will be a pleasure being the one to take you in or end your life. They will tell stories about our battle generations after today."

General Gambo: "Be careful Macai, history may not reflect you well in the long run."

Macai asks, "Why is that? History is written by the victors (clenching his fist)."

General Gambo: "That's exactly why it won't treat you well."

Macai responds, "We will see." Macai slaps his hands and swats a stream of white fire at Gambo. Gambo stomps his right foot, and a large wall of earth blocks the shot. Fragments of the wall collapse from the impact of the fire, but the wall is large enough that most of it remains. Gambo pushes his right hand forward and launches the wall at Macai.

A frustrated Macai kicks his right leg in the center wall and breaks it in half. Gambo nods his head, "You're unusually strong for a firebender. I wonder if you have some earthbender in you." Macai jumps in the air and pushes his left hand in Gambo's direction. A storm of white fire flies in Gambo's direction.

Gambo raises his hands and a bar of stone absorbs the flames. Macai lands a few feet in front of the general. Gambo picks up a bar and chucks it at Macai. Macai bobs left and kicks a white rod of fire at Gambo's stomach. Gambo springs over the flame and lands a few feet right of Macai's position. The earthbender extends his arms and slaps a stream of sand at Macai.

Macai raises his arms and creates a wall of white fire in front of himself. The wall of fire absorbs the sand. Macai presses his hands forward and launches the wall at Gambo. The general sides left and swirls his hands together. A stream of sand surrounds Macai and quickly engulfs him. Gambo grins, as he waits for Macai to be suffocated.

Macai pulls his arms in, and Macai's arms suddenly turn white. Macai rapidly extends his arms and generates an explosion of white fire that frees himself. Light glares and Gambo looks down to avoid being blinded. Smoke flows from around Macai.

Gambo: "Impossible! I've never seen any firebender do that before."

Macai responds, "You've never fought ME before." Macai leaps forward and extends his right fist; firing a flame a Gambo. The earthbending veteran skips backward and extends his left arm; blocking the flame. Macai extends his left leg and launches a flame at Gambo's right leg. Gambo lifts his right knee and absorbs the shot. Macai presses both of hands forward and fires an explosive white flame into Gambo.

Gambo slides three feet backward as steam flows from his armor. Macai looks around himself and notices the two commandos are about to attack him. The shock trooper officer turns to his left and kicks a white stream of fire into a commando. Macai turns to his right and notices the other commando. The commando sprays a stream sand at Macai and Macai retaliates by firing a stream of white fire into the steam of sand.

Macai presses his hands forward and overpowers the commando; who is blasted aside by Macai's white fire. Commando: "Aahhhha!" Macai readjusts his focus at General Gambo, who is still on the ground. Macai slowly walks toward his prey.

A weary Gambo leaps back on his feet and extends his arms. Several fragments fly towards Macai. Macai swirls his hands around with white flames covering them. Macai uses his coordination and the reflexes to vaporize the objects in his direction.

Macai presses his hands together and sends another stream of white fire at the general. The general leaps in the air over Macai's shot and Macai pounds a white flame into Gambo's chest. Gambo falls and coughs violently as he hits the ground. Macai stands over Gambo, "Your city has fallen, and your Kingdom will soon follow." Gambo closes his eyes for the last time.

Macai looks up and notices several three Earth Kingdom troopers charging in his direction. Macai rapidly fires white flames into the trooper in the middle and on his left. The trooper on the right has a spear and throws it at Macai. Macai lunges right and catches the spear. Macai swiftly rotates his body and chucks the spear into his opponent's chest.

Macai sprints and hooks a volley of white torpedoes into three Earth Kingdom troopers ahead of him. Macai tilts his body right and zaps a stream of white fire into an earthbender. Another two Earth Kingdom troopers charge from Macai's left flank toward him, but the troopers are immediately blasted away by an orange explosion of fire. Macai looks behind himself and sees Commander Kenshin.

RYSE: SON Of Rome- Vitallion's Charge- Soundtrack [Youtube] (Music Starts)

Kenshin grins, "Come on Macai, let's push the enemy back. We can beat them." Kenshin charges on the left and Macai on the right. Six Earth Kingdom troopers charge toward the duo. On the left, there is a spearman, swordsman, and earthbender. On the right, there is a swordsman, earthbender, and axman.

Kenshin bolts two rapid orange flames into the swordsman and earthbender across him. Macai swiftly punches two white flames. The first hits an incoming swordsman, but an earthbender raises a wall of stone to block Macai's attack. The axman charges at Macai and swings at him with a vertical sweeping strike. Macai leaps right of the attack then kicks a white rod of fire into the brute's leg.

The vanguard falls forward into his own blade. Macai rotates his body and tosses an explosive ball of white fire into the earthbender's barrier of stone. The earthbender flies five feet away from his former position. Meanwhile, Kenshin extends his right arm then generates an orange fire whip. Kenshin swings his whip horizontally and fries the advancing spearman across him.

Macai and Kenshin sprint forward again. Three earthbenders charge at them. Macai and Kenshin both slide and direct explosive flames at their opponents in front of them. Macai extends his right arm and creates a whip of white flames. Macai pulls the whip to the left and swings it at the earthbender. The earthbender leaps over the whip then Kenshin presses his hands forward and fires an explosive blast of orange fire into the earthbender.

The man flies about nine feet away from their position. Kenshin: "Not bad, for a young gun."

Macai responds, "Hey, you didn't look so bad yourself. For an old man."

Kenshin: "I'm not that old." Kenshin and Macai look ahead and notice only a few Earth Kingdom troopers are left. For whatever, reason they don't want to retreat.

Macai: "Ready to smoke these fools?"

Kenshin smiles and looks at Macai, "I've never been more ready in all my life." Kenshin and Macai advance forward and fire a rapidly volley of flames at their enemeis. Four Earth Kingdom troopers immediately fall from the attack. Macai presses his hands forward and fires an explosive white flame into an Earth Kingdom trooper.

Two archers suddenly emerge on the rooftop across Macai. Macai looks up and an arrow is fired into Kenshin's chest. Kenshin falls to his knees, "Ugh!"

Macai shouts, "No!" Another archer shoots at Macai's head. Macai hops right of the attack and immediately punches two white flames into the archers. Both of the sharpshooters fall forward off the rooftop. A spearman across Macai throws his weapon at Macai. Macai rolls forward then leaps back on his feet. An earthbender shoves several sharp projectiles at Macai and Macai sprints forward.

(Music Stops)

Earth Kingdom captain: "Stop him!"

Earth Kingdom swordsman: "What is he doing?!"

Earth Kingdom captain: "I don't know, just take him down!" Macai kicks a white flame into the spearman then Macai notices the earthbender across him readjusting his aim. Macai leaps in the air just as the earthbender opens fire then Macai ignites his right foot. Macai spins and lands right in the middle of the Earth Kingdom position and kicks the ground. A massive white boom results from his stunt which vaporizes a dozen Earth Kingdom troopers around him.

All that is left of his victims are the burned black fragments of their armor. Macai looks left and fires a white flame into an incoming earthbender. Macai looks right and pounds a volley of white flames into an Earth Kingdom swordsman and an earthbender. Macai notices that the few survivors of his attack are retreating.

Kedo, the swordsman, and a firebender suddenly hear their enemies fleeing. The trio immediately get on a rooftop and Kedo fires an inflamed arrow through the neck of a retreating Earth Kingdom swordsman. The firebender fires two flames into fleeing Earth Kingdom troopers and the swordsman stands guard as it happens. Kett leaps a building across them with another firebender behind him.

Kett: "Relax, the battle's won."

Kedo: "Well, we missed a bit of it. We did some damage early on, but briefly got taken out of the fight."

Kett: "Well, then I'm glad you're still alive. But we shouldn't kill people who are retreating from battle. It is distasteful and they may do the same to us if the situation is ever reversed."

Firebender: "There is no honor among savages."

Kett sighs, "I'm not going to argue with you, just don't do it again. Or else."

Firebender: "Or else what? You'll tell Macai? I'm helping the unit by getting rid of enemies."

Kett: "Drop it."

Firebender: "But why?"

Kett yells, "I SAID DROP IT!!!" The firebender goes silent. Later that day, the Fire Nation troopers bury their dead. The next afternoon, the Fire Nation General Jolhe arrives with four bodyguards. Jolhe enters Macai's temporary office. General Jolhe has yellow skin, slanted hazel eyes, white hair, and is a short man in stature. Jolhe is only five feet and six inches tall.

General Jolhe: "Well, Captain Macai. It is an honor."

Macai sarcastically says, "No sir, the honor is all mine."

General Jolhe: "It is a real shame what happened to Kenshin? Say, what happened to his guards?"

Macai: "One of them was killed by an earth bender who fired a sharp fragment into his stomach. Another two were knocked out by an earthbender who fired two large objects into their faces. Actually, one of them died from that attack. We thought one was initially knocked out but, it turns out the man's skull was cracked. The other one was fine but, simply got cut off from the rest of his team."

Macai continued, "Kenshin fought on his own up until he linked up with me. Together, we made a glorious stand and we were a force to be reckoned with. Until that archer got him. You know that could have been me, if they decided to shoot me instead of Kenshin."

General Jolhe: "But it wasn't you. It's strange how destiny works. You were meant for great things. Kenshin's unit, the 825th battalion needs a new leader. I think you would be a great fit."

Macai gasps, "Me, a commander?!"

General Jolhe: "Well, why not. You're an excellent leader. It would be historic. Someone at your age. What are you fourteen?"

Macai: "I'm heading on fifteen now. In about two months."

General Jolhe: "We will have a grand ceremony to promote your transition into the rank, but I think Commander Macai sounds much better than captain to be honest with you. You have proven yourself time and time again. Afterall, it's what Kenshin would have wanted. Perhaps not this quickly, but you have proven yourself to be more capable than most seasoned veterans. You deserve this."

Macai: "I'm going to get a lot of hate for this."

General Jolhe: "Then live it up. If no one was jealous of you, that means you are not doing much to be jealous about. Jealousy is a sign of success. You will be an exceptional commander; I have no doubt about it. Once you return from home, we will have your ceremony and you will be a commissioned commander by the time you are fifteen. Your team is now officially on vacation, enjoy it. You earned it."

Macai: "I take it your forces will secure this city."

General Jolhe: "Exactly, which means your team can walk back to the nearest train station. From there, your company will ride to the port. Then your ship can sail home. All of that in total will take several weeks. After, your team will get that month off before your collective return to battle."

Macai: "I can't believe it. This is more than I could have dreamed it would have been. Thank you, sir." Macai bows and Jolhe does not bow back.

Jolhe: "Of course. Now go Macai, you've fulfilled your purpose here." Macai nods and departs.