Luke

I didn't even need to look up or hear him talk to know who it was that walked into that tent at around midday of my 13th sun in confinement of said shelter, but all the same, he spoke, confirming my suspicions. It had, after all, only been a matter of time.

"1 soldier out of 5,000. That's what they told me. Never would have imagined that it would have been you."

"Hey, Danev. I appreciate the confidence you put in me."

"Can you blame me? Would you put money on my name with the same odds?"

"More than anyone else in that position? Yes. But out of 5,000, well, I get your point."

"So you forgive me?"

"For what? For not expecting me to survive? Don't be over dramatic. Got over things on my mind at the moment."

"I imagine. Hell. Look at you. One leg suspended and one arm in the cast. I imagine there's not much else you can do in that position over than think."

"Well. I don't plan on being here too much longer."

"No kidding. You just got your one-way ticket home. I too would be biding my time for the moment I could get out of this hell-hole."

"Nah. I already turned that offer down. I'm biding my time until. Can get back out there and finish what we started."

"Wait. What? The siege. Are you insane? After what happened to the 5th?"

"Especially after what happened to the fifth."

"So it's, what? Revenge?"

"Assurance. Satisfaction. Revenge. Peace of mind. A lot of those things. I can't leave midway through this."

"Why not? Why do you care so damn much about this siege?"

"Because I want this war to end. If that means another few months of intense death and killing in exchange for indefinite peace afterwards, it would be worth it. Don't you feel the same?"

"I don't care about this fucking war. I care about survival and the survival of the people next to me. My squad."

"Right. You got promoted, but if you did, wouldn't you want this over as quickly as possible, so as to not see your men ever put in harm's way again?"

"I couldn't care less if we won or lost this war, so long as I, And those close to me live. I'm no patriot. We grew up in the slums with a Nation watching over us that didn't give two shits about our lives. You were there. You suffered as much as anyone and you care about this war? About the bullshit politics and intrigue?"

"I care about preventing more massacres like that which happened just 2 weeks ago."

With that, Danev calmed down as he seemed to recall that I wasn't the only one of the Citadel kids in that battle. There were some he knew there as well, and I could tell that was precisely where his mind wandered following my statement. "So it really was that much a slaughter."

"You say you saw the numbers. 4,999 dead. Why are you so surprised now?"

He ignored my question, asking next: "So what happened."

"This is about the hundredth time I answered that same question. Zahckrael fucked up, deployed us too early, killed his entire Corps in the process."

"And the 15th? The other Citadel kids?"

"Dead. Earth Kingdom sprung a trap, caught about a quarter of the 15th below me. The rest were picked off one by one by Earth Benders."

"And your crew?"

"Gi Gu was impaled through the neck and Gan either was crushed or bled out. I don't know."

"The rest of the Citadel kids?"

"Probably buried underneath thousands of tons of stone and debris. Maybe still alive at this moment, suffering for oxygen and-"

"I get it. You're all that's left."

"For the second damn time in the last year. Guess the role of Sole Survivor just fits me."

"So if you went through that shit, why would you be so eager to go back into it? You think it'll go any better?"

"I already told you why, and besides, I can't exactly get any worse from what happened the last time around."

"Well. Lucky you then might just get your wish. I've been summoned to a war meeting for the Crimson Battalion. After our losses in the last attack, as minimal as they were, we've had to regroup the Host. The Crimson Battalion is now more or less the battle group leading the Siege."

"But they're just a Battalion."

"Yeah. It's pretty much the Crimson Army now. Lu Ten's been promoted to Lieutenant General, but Iroh's still commanding the Siege."

"Look's like family's getting priority in the chain of Command then."

"Not. Not really. It was put to a vote actually among the battalion commanders."

"What happened to the Lieutenant General who was already in charge?"

"Shit. You didn't hear?"

"Clearly not. What happened?"

"Deserted. It's been fucking with morale. He was only found missing after you already got here."

"Seriously? Shit."

"Yeah."

"So what now?"

"For me? Well. I have to get to this meeting. You? Just try to get better. If you really insist on fighting, try walking again. I know you can fight left handed, but you'll need more practice. Just try getting out of here in the next w. Yeah?"

"Yep. I'm tired of this damn tent anyway."

"I know you are, Luke." He turned to leave before stopping in his steps, once more looking behind himself at me, and saying "Glad you're alive Luke. And I'm sorry. For what happened to your crew"

And with that, he left without waiting for a reply. I wasn't sure if I would have replied. Maybe I'd have said a small 'tank you', but that was past now, and he was right.

I reached over my body with my left hand and grabbed the scalpel that had been left there by the medic who was currently off somewhere else. I bent upwards, reaching for my suspended leg, and made the cut. I was done waiting in here.