Zek

We could see them on the horizon ahead of us.

They're already here.

We were just outside of Jingping, and already, we could feel the ground shake beneath our feet as artillery shells struck the village ahead.

The first place my mind travelled was to Ka'lira, a prayer formulating in my head for whoever was listening that she wouldn't be among the victims that that first barrage was sure to take, praying as well that she wouldn't find herself along the countless dead that would follow in the proceeding barrages as well.

"We have to go," I turned to say to Luke and Zare who were close behind me, then not needing the reminder, but my own anxiety prompting me to make the statement regardless, perhaps as more a reminder to myself than to them. "Now!"

We found ourselves mid dash in our mad rush to Jingping, desperate not to waste a moment as the ground continued its mad spasms beneath our feet, threatening to throw us to the ground more than once. Or perhaps that was just me as I took one anxious step after another, not looking to where I put one foot or the next, my sole intention to ensure I found myself closer to Jingping than I did the second before. And at that, at least, I was just barely succeeding.

The walls were closer to us now than they were before, but there was no sign of any guard atop. Perhaps it should not have been surprising. Anybody wise would be seeking cover on lower ground, beneath whatever shelter they could find rather than atop a stone wall that seemed to be hastily bent by the look of it.

And then there was the other matter—the pale-yellow mist rising into the night sky, illuminated by the scattered fires that lit Jingping.

Poison gas.

The memories of Xiahu were already rushing back. That first bombardment, my clamber to find Ka'lira through the rising mist, coughing into my sleeve, puking onto the ground, but pushing on regardless.

My throat still burned, the sensation even stronger now, triggered by the mere sight of the rising gas.

Ka'lira's in there. I have to find her. Have to help her.

"Damnit," a voice came out, myself not knowing if it was Luke's to my side, my own, or perhaps Zare's who had suddenly gotten deeper. It was hard to tell.

"Zek," came a voice, definitely Luke's this time around.

I turned to face him, witnessing as he was already holding out the gas hood in front of himself, ready to don it. "Got a mask?"

I shook my head. I never had had the time to retrieve one in Xiahu. Everything had happened so fast, all of my effort had gone to finding Ka'lira. There hadn't been enough-

The flurry of excuses to myself was interrupted by Luke's mask flying through the air, my outstretched arm just barely catching it on time by instinct alone. Still not understanding the gesture, I looked up to him, confused as to just what he was doing.

"What about-"

"Zare's got a spare! She'll give me it!"

"I will?" she asked, fitting hers on already. It was clear that the question was sarcastic. There was no hesitation in the understanding nod that proceeded the joking comment. Hopefully, much like Xiahu, the gas would pass quickly enough as the Fire Nation prepared for the real assault. But if Xiahu was any indicator, then we didn't have long. Soldiers would be making landfall at the beachhead soon, and, after that…

My eyes turned to the dense woods behind us to the east and the hills to the South.

If it was going to be anything like last time, then they would be coming again.

I placed the hood over my head, finding the strap at the neck where I promptly tightened it, closing the seal, the stench of Luke's scent now the only thing I could smell. Still, more than likely enough, a better alternative to the mustard gas. And I spoke from experience of both.

The mask was on, my eyes had adjusted to look through the fist-sized lenses, and the first sight I was enabled to behold from my new perspective was the top of the wall that still stood tall over us.

We have to get inside. Now.

We searched the perimeter of the wall for a breach, finding none, which, overall, should have been welcome news, but at this very moment in time, was not exactly making our jobs any easier. All that could be noticed were strange markings at the base of the walls that I wanted to believe to be tunnels first, only to notice that they were breaks in the grass as though caused by impacts from above.

"Gotta get over," I grunted out, musing, my eyes still scanning for anything: a breach, a lowered portion, an open gate, a guard atop we could convince to let us inside, anything.

"Got it," came Zare's voice to my side as she promptly stepped forward, swinging her bag around to her torso and, in a fashion that demonstrated more than her fair share of doing such, removed a length of rope I'd place at around 25 feet, with a metal hook at the end of an attached arrow.

She quickly enough notched the arrow, took aim, and fired. The shot was obviously weakened by the weight of the rope and the hook, but was yet powerful enough to make it to the top of the wall. All it took then was her testing the weight and prompting for me to follow, which I did so, myself regrettably too focused on Ka'lira to thank her, but by no means internally ungrateful.

"Impressive," came Luke's voice from below me as I ascended, thankful at least that there was somebody to give her due credit where I was failing to do so.

Can't focus on that, I reminded myself. I need to find her. Need to keep her safe.

Soon enough, all three of us were atop, Zare having quickly removed the hook from the wall, stowing it back into her bag, no intention of allowing any future unwelcome visitors the same ease of scaling the wall that we had possessed.

Not that it would really matter, I realized, recalling the ease at which they had breached the fortifications of Xiahu, a military fortress, albeit quite measly at that.

I had no doubt that the shoddily put together defenses around Jingping wouldn't exactly prove formidable, especially given the stark lack of any defenders.

Where the hell are they? We should have people covering every direction, especially the east!

I looked around, but still could find no sign of the soldiers that should have been forming this outer perimeter. Then again, there was hardly anything I could see at that beyond the vague silhouettes of Luke and Zare to my side, their combined presence made especially ominous by the reflection of firelight off of their mask lenses. I wondered just how I appeared in my similar getup, and already found myself grimacing at the thought of approaching Ka'lira in such a state.

Have to find her first.

In addition to the two young individuals, there was the obvious presence of scattered weapons on the top of the wall, noticeable especially without their owners anywhere to be seen. I reflected then on the strange marks in the grass right by the base of the wall's exterior.

Had these bastards run at the first sign of danger?

I realized then that the two teenagers were eyeing me, almost expectantly. Gordez isn't here, I realized. They're looking to me as the next in command. Could a dumber choice be made? I questioned.

Doesn't matter, I convinced myself. They're looking to me for instructions. I have to provide.

"Get to the town!" I called out. "Find Gordez and Cholla. Tell them our flanks are completely exposed! Then stick with him! I'll be back with you shortly!"

There was no hesitation. The two, or, Luke, at the very least, seemed perfectly comprehending of what it was I had in mind. I was unsure if there was some indicator of resentment behind his mask, or perhaps I was merely projecting. If there was, he did an excellent job of shrouding it, of not letting it stand in the way of anything. Instead, his only response was a "Got it!" and a nod towards Zare that filled in the only added detail of 'let's go', and so she nodded in returned, immediately descaling the wall, hopping below deeper into the thickness of the yellow mist.

I stayed put momentarily, my eyes following deeper into the town, where the thatched roofs of homes just building stood taller than the height of the gas. She's there. I know where. I know the house, at least. But damnit, just where is it?

I shook my head. I'll find no answers up here. I looked down below to the sea of yellow that awaited me, and I knew what had to be done. Completely idiotic or otherwise, I knew what had to be done.

Sit tight, Ka'li. I'm coming.