The Greatest Statement

As the 31st investigates a suspicious company that has been suspected of aiding the DOJ; several members in the Disciples of Justice gather less than a day's trip outside of the Fire Nation capital in a hidden camp at night. Karanga arrives in her dark uniform, Beruto emerges beside her, and several other troopers with dark grey armor and orange stripes stand around them. The team waits near a campfire.

Beruto: "While Voren, Haresh, and Tufen have prepared their distraction; our main team will move in and sack the Fire Nation Capital. Everything is in order for a swift sustained attack. Our spies have monitored Fire Nation movement and will make sure there is a hole in their defenses when we strike. It will take them some time before they can hit us in full force."

Karanga asks, "Is the distraction ready?" Beruto shakes his head.

A shadowy yet tall figure responds from the distance, "Excellent, our moment of triumph is at hand. We will make a great example out of them which will trigger a chain of events that will end will the collapse of the current system." The man has a wise yet intimidating voice.

Breakdown

It is a sunny day and several people of all ages travel throughout the bustling Fire Nation capital. Troopers wait outside and several stand on rooftops for the usual security. A man writes a portrait of a woman and another man plays the trumpet in hope of coin. An old lady sips a cup of tea as she sits at her front porch. Several people suddenly kneel in respect as the Firelord and his escort travel back to his palace after a long meeting.

A fatigued Zuko salutes the people as he walks with four Fire Nation troopers. General Mak strolls alongside Zuko while the Kyoshi warriors Suki and Ty Lee follow behind them. Suki holds her deadly battle fans and Ty Lee waves at citizens as they follow Zuko to his palace. Two guards stand at the palace and salute Zuko as he heads toward the front door.

Zuko salutes the guards back and the team enters their palace. Zuko scowls, "These people really are stressing me out. They make the most mundane negotiations feel like a complex math assignment and I always hated math." The team walks through the eloquent palace halls.

Mak nods, "You know Macai didn't particularly like math either, can you believe that?"

Zuko: "I would have thought he'd be a wiz at that since he's a master at nearly everything else. Azula was a math machine."

Mak: "No surprise there. I'm ok with math. But anyway, I think things went well. The Water Tribe just needs to ease into trusting us more. We will just have to take several more small steps like this."

Zuko: "And if we mess up, everything we worked for will be derailed."

Mak replies, "That's why we have to be on it."

Zuko: "Well, maintaining long-term peace is of the utmost priority. I will not stop until we get there."

Mak: "We will Zuko, but you must not let it stress you out. In a job like this, tensions are bound to come and go. The best thing you can do is be patient and wise like your uncle. Otherwise, you will not survive this job and not because of assassins but because sometimes stress kills faster than a knife."

Zuko stares at Mak, "Such wisdom, looks like everyone is more like Iroh than me. I've got to work on making memorable quotes."

Mak shrugs his shoulders, "Thanks, it comes naturally for me."

Zuko growls, "Go ahead and rub it in."

Ty Lee shouts across the hallway, "This hallway is so beautiful but I can make it look better! You should let me help renovate it."

Zuko points at Ty Lee, "Absolutely not!"

Suki smiles, "Come on let her try Zuko, I think she'll do a great job." Zuko grumbles under his breath. The team walks in front of the main doors to Zuko's chamber and two guards open it. The team moves into the facility.

Meanwhile, a guard waits on a rooftop that's about twenty feet outside of the palace. The guard is holding a sword and is a few feet from an archer. They can see another archer and a swordsman on the rooftop across them. Fire swordsman: "Wow, work is so peaceful these days with the war over."

Fire female archer: "Work was always peaceful in the capital. Even in the past, no one would dare attack this place."

Fire swordsman: "Ok course not, such an attack would be suicide during nearly ANY point in history."

Fire female archer: "This is probably the safest place in the world." Nearby in the city, a brown carriage rides near a local city patrol. A team of five FIre Nation army troopers waits to see if the travelers are authorized to be in the area. The sergeant has thick black hair, small ears, a profound jaw, a long nose, thick eyebrows, dark yellow eyes, and pale skin. The sergeant has two swordsmen, a spearman, and a firebender waiting behind him.

The carriage suddenly stops and the sergeant steps to the driver's side. "I'm going to need to see some identification." The driver nods and pulls out a paper. The sergeant grabs the paper and looks at it.

The paper is not a government authorization document instead, it says "Now is our time, the nations will fall and the Disciples of Justice will rise." The sergeant looks back up and four DOJ messengers exit the rear of the carriage. Two move on the right side and another two on the left. Unlike the DOJ troopers Rosh discovered in Voren's base, the messengers wear hoods, light grey uniforms, and white masks with yellow markings.

The driver tosses a knife into the sergeant's neck, blood flows from it, and the officer collapses. Messenger: "Now is our time! Attack!" A messenger on the left sides forward and throws two knives into the Fire nation swordsman and a spearman.

Fire spearman: "Ahhh!" The firebender leaps forward and pumps an orange flame into the knifethrower. A messenger spearman chucks his weapon into the firebender's chest then switches to a curved short sword. The fire nation swordsman boldly runs at his opponent and vertically swings at his face. The messenger rotates his blade horizontally and blocks the strike.

Messenger: "Oh, you think you are strong because you fought in a war. We have been fighting for over forty years." The messenger kicks the swordsman in his stomach then diagonally slices his head off. Citizens scream in terror and panic occurs as the four messengers confidentially prowl through the city.

Wonder Woman 1984 Official Soundtrack | Cheetah- Hans Zimmer | WaterTower [Youtube] (Music Starts)

The female Fire Nation archer draws her arrow, "Well, so much for that! Karanga springs on the rooftop behind her opponents. Army Swordsman: "Hey! What do you think you're?!" Karanga swiftly extends her right hand and shoots a wrist blade into the swordsman's chest. The trooper falls off the building.

The archer turns around, "Hoosho!" Karanga glides her left hand and shoots her enemy in her belly. Archer: "Ah!" The archer falls off the roof and Karanga looks down menacingly at the distraught crowd. The DOJ assassin looks back up and notices an archer aiming at her.

The archer fires an arrow directly at Karanga's chest. Karanga weaves right then shoots a barrage of wrist blades into the archer and swordsman near him. The swordsman attempts to block into shots but they are too fast, he is helplessly shot down. Two Disciples of Justice archers scale the rooftop with grappling hooks and emerge behind Karanga.

The archers have masks that resemble that of the messengers but their uniforms are dark grey like the troopers that Rosh saw and they have orange markings on their uniforms. The archers also wear small capes. A DOJ trooper moves behind them with a full dark grey helmet, orange visor, full dark grey battle armor, and orange stripes. The trooper is holding a grey flag with yellow markings and plants it on the rooftop as a symbol that people can see from the distance.

Karanga briefly kneels then rises and stares ahead, "This city is ours. We won't conquer it, but we will take its spirit which means more than anything else."

Elsewhere, Iroh walks into his home and talks with a good friend of his. A man named Kabete, he is older with grey hair, hazel eyes, a sharp nose, long ears, and thin yet long lips. Iroh suddenly holds his chest and acts like he has heartburn. Iroh: "Eeeemmmm."

Kabete: "What is it, Iroh?"

Iroh: "I feel a dark energy, a spiritual void, and I can tell it's getting closer."

Kabete: "What do you mean?"

Iroh: "I felt something was off months ago and I had a strange dream last night that I couldn't interpret. But I know something is not right, you will have to excuse me. I need to make a trip."

Kabete: "Oh? But I didn't get to try your ham?"

Iroh: "The ham will have to wait, I apologize."

Kabete: "Be careful my friend, you're getting old for this."

Iroh confidently looks back at his comrade, "Old is a state of mind Kabete and I'm feeling as young as ever!"

(Music Stops)

A State of Mayhem

On another rooftop, a Fire Nation swordsman and an archer wait. The duo hears a distant boom. The swordsman looks at his friend, "What was that?!"

Archer: "Probably a street show. I think security has been lighter than most days, I usually see more troops on patrol."

Swordsman: "I don't remember hearing about that."

A DOJ firebender scales the wall and emerges from a grappling hook below. The archer turns and sees the firebender and briefly freezes in shock. The firebender extends his right hand and blasts the archer away. The swordsman turns and runs at his opponent, "Noooo!!!" The bender shifts his hands right and pounds an orange fire brick into the man's chest. The trooper's body is launched off the building.

The body falls into an old lady's fruit stand, breaking it. Old lady: "Oh my goodness! Our city has fallen!"

A seventeen-year-old male with light brown hair looks at the woman, "Don't worry, Zuko and his soldiers will save us."

Old lady: "I hope so, but we must flee it isn't safe here."

Young man: "I'll help you get out of here. Come on."

Fire Nation forces wait at the central plaza. The plaza is protected by officers Captain Pezhai and Lieutenant Bozman. The plaza is a central area that is more open than most of the crowded city, where Fire Nation troopers are being outflanked and ambushed from several directions. The main disadvantage the Fire Nation troopers have is visibility, their armor makes them easy targets and they all wait in predictable areas where DOJ members can hit them.

Captain Pezahi has black hair, a pointy nose, yellow skin, caramel brown eyes, and is of an average height. Lieutenant Bozman is in his early twenties, has dark brown hair, light brown skin, pointy ears, and a thin frame. Captain Pezahi: "Prepare all forces for defense, reports of enemies throughout the city!"

Lieutenant Bozman: "Unfortunately, we don't know how many."

Captain Pezahi: "I don't care how many there are, just be ready to fight! Have you heard from the North Eastern patrol teams?!"

Lieutenant Bozman: "No sir and many of our South Western patrol troopers didn't report earlier today."

Captain Pezahi: "I don't like this at all. Oh well, we know what we signed up for. Our lives for the Fire Nation! Hold the line, at all cost." Three swordsmen, two firebenders, two spearmen, two axmen, and two archers wait alongside the leaders. Two DOJ archers emerge from the distance and take aim at the defenders.

Bozman points, "Archers!"

Captain Pezahi looks back at his archers, "Take aim!" The DOJ archers launch two arrows at their enemies. Their arrows travel at incredible speed. One lands between a firebender and swordsman on the right flank. The arrow explodes on impact and blows the troopers to pieces.

Bozman shouts, "What was that?!"

Pezhai yells, "Some sort of new technology, they have explosive arrows!" A second volatile is fired directly into a Fire Nation axman, blowing him to oblivion.

Bozman cries, "Ramato!"

Pezhai warns, "Stay focused." Pezhai points his arms and shoots a beam of orange flames into the left archer. The archer on the right takes aim at Pezhai.

Bozman pushes Pezhai, "Captain lookout!" A powerful explosion dispatches Bozman. The young lieutenant's body turns black and he falls.

Pezhai gets up and looks back, "Lieutenant! Bozman!" Pezhai runs to the lieutenant and a tear flows from his right eye. Pezhai seriously looks up and propels a stream of fire into the remaining archer. Pezhai shouts, "Come on then!"

Three DOJ swordsmen, two towering warriors with heavy armor and long battle hammers, a warrior with dual swords, a waterbender, two firebenders, and two earthbenders charge at the Fire Nation defense team. The Fire Nation soldiers don't know what type of benders are ahead of them but they can assume the unarmed troopers have bending powers.

Pezhai slides and pumps a flame into an incoming swordsman. Pezhai pops flames at two more incoming enemies. A firebender is blasted by a flame but an earthbender raises a wall of earth, blocking the captain's shot. The earthbender launches his wall at Pezhai and the captain slams his right foot on the ground. A stream of orange fire splits the wall in two and the captain pulls his hands right summoning a blaze of fire.

The captain rotates his hands left and destroys the earthbender with a terrifying counter. A waterbender gallops and pounds a barrage of ice sickles into a spearman and axman. Axman: "Oh!" Pezhai turns and blasts the waterbender aside with a ray of flames. A swordsman lunges at Pezhai and thrusts his blade into the captain's chest.

Pezhai: "Ugh, troopers retreat!" The swordsman kicks Pezhai down and blocks an incoming arrow from an army archer. The swordman weaves left and a firebender steps into the scene, surging a beam of orange fire into the Fire Nation archer.

A DOJ brute advances and smacks a Fire Nation swordsman aside with his hammer, "Aiyeeee!" The brute leaps forward and vertically slams his hammer into a firebender. The firebender flies several feet into the air until he travels through the window of a second-story building. Two Fire Nation swordsmen flee but a DOJ earthbender swats them aside with an earth column. Only a spearman and archer manage to flee the scene. They run without turning back.

The Great Push

As the local city forces are preoccupied, forces mobilize outside of the Fire Nation Palace. About eight troopers wait at the front entrance. A female firebender captain waits in front of them. The team consists of three swordsmen, two spearmen, and three firebenders. Fire Nation captain: "Alright men, stay on guard."

Within the Fire Nation chambers, Zuko talks with Mak while Ty Lee and Suki stand guard. A Fire Nation captain runs inside of the room with two guards. General Mak turns and Zuko does the same. Fire Nation captain: "Firelord Zuko and General Mak, soldiers from the Disciples of Justice cult have laid siege on the city!"

Zuko and Mak look at each other in astonishment. General Mak: "The city is under attack?"

Zuko: "When did they amass such a large army?!"

Fire Nation captain: "You both are asking questions that are above my pay grade. But I can tell you one thing, it seems they are two steps ahead of us." Outside of the palace, the female captain and her team keep watch. The unit hears distant blasts.

Karanga leaps from a rooftop and lands about thirty meters ahead of her unaware enemies. Karanga scans left and Beruto emerges with his massive muscles and jacked build. Beruto cracks his knuckles, "I'm ready to smash some heads."

A third figure emerges in a light grey armor with light green markings. The man's face is tan, he has a scar on his right eye, his left eye is light blue while his right eye is grey, and several tubes run across the man's arms which are a part of his armor suit. The back of the man's armor includes a tank of light green acid.

Beruto looks at the Karanga, "It looks like Solven has joined the party."

Solven replies with his sinister voice, "Yes, it is my pleasure to exterminate Zerrel's enemies." Zerrel steps beside Solven.

Alesso- Nillionaire (Original Mix) [Youtube] (Music Starts)

Zerrel has a powerful, noble, wise, and commanding voice. Zerrel: "Good, we have worked diligently to reach this moment. Now, let us grasp it." Zerrel has long dark grey hair, light yellow skin, a black uniform, thin eyebrows, a towering frame, gold eyes, medium lips, a long nose, and a body of lean muscle. Zerrel: "Enforcers of Justice, attack!"

Karanga sprints into action. She swiftly sweeps her arms and unloads a payload of wrist blades into a swordsman and firebender. Firebender: "Ah!" The captain pumps an orange rod of fire at the assassin, Karanga flips left. Beruto dashes and extends his arms; a massive rectangular chunk emerges from the ground and flies at the captain.

The captain rolls left and Beruto launches a ball of earth into her stomach. The captain flops back into the ground. Beruto lifts his arms and a square of earth rises from the ground. The earthbending master yanks his arms down and the object files at over 50 miles an hour into a Fire Nation spearman and firebender. A loud crunch is heard as the men are broken into mincemeat.

Another firebender pumps two fireballs at Beruto. Beruto raises his arms and a barrier of earth blocks the incoming shots. Solven jumps in the air and his metallic boots enhance his jump height. The acidbender ascends ten feet in the air and he pours two streams of acid at his enemies. One stream of hot green liquid fries a spearman, "Arrraaahaaa!!"

The other stream of acid dispatches a swordsman. Finally, Zerrel elegantly lunges in the air, with the sunshine flowing around him. A firebender looks up at Zerrel and takes aim. The DOJ leader raises his hands and a flicker of bright yellow fire flows from his hands. Zerrel's flames contain a bright yellow exterior with a shining white interior, making them the second brightest flames after Macai's.

Zerrel's flames pulverize the poor man as he lands smoothly on the ground. A swordsman charges at him and the leader easily extends his left hand; firing a rapid yellow flame into the swordsman's face. A black hole is left in the man's head before he hits the deck. Zerrel's fire is very hot, burning much more than the average red or orange fire.

Zerrel also attacks and moves much faster than Macai and even Azula. Moving with speed that rivals Mai despite his old age. Zerrel's agility is also surprising for a man of his age. Zerrel points, "Quickly to that door, we will forge a path in that palace. Our enemies may try to flee out of the back, which is why I'm having my forces attack the rear of the city to keep our enemies busy. Voren and his Wingmen should soon regroup with our men to briefly close off their rear before reinforcements close in on us. Our window of time is short and we have cut off their communication."

Zerrele rotates his hands and pounds a surge of yellow fire into the right side of the door. Zerrel goes across the edges of the door and suddenly stops. Zerrel: "Now all it needs is a push."

Beruto raises his arms and creates a ball of stone. The large bender pushes his hands and the ball knocks the unstable doors down. Zerrel: "Good, continue." The Enforces of Justice advance in the palace. The team notices two swordsmen, two firebenders, and two spearmen waiting for them.

Swordsman: "You are not welcome here! Turn back!" Beruto shouts and hurls a brick in the swordsman's face. Beruto pumps his hands a second time and diagonally pounds a log of stone into a firebender and spearman. Solven stretches his right arm and blasts a spearman with a ray of acid.

Spearman: "Ughuuuuhhaaaa!!" Karanga shoots a barrage of wrist blades and guns down the firebender and the spearman. Zerrel sways his left hand and pops a yellow flame into the swordman's stomach. Three more troopers rush into the scene. A firebender, a swordswoman, and a spearman emerge.

Zerrel steps right and fires a beam of yellow fire into the swordswoman. The spearman chucks his weapon at Zerrel and the old firebending master runs against the wall right of him. Zerrel leaps in the air and shoots the firebender in his face with a yellow fireball. Zerrel lands behind the spearman and the man switches to a dagger. Karanga nonchalantly shoots a wrist blade in the man's neck, "Guck!"

Zerrel: "Soon, Zuko will neal to me." The team marches into the next hallway. The team notices three warriors with advanced shield gauntlets and melee weapons. Two of them have swords and the one on the right has a spear. The shields are rectangular in shape. Behind the warriors are three firebenders, behind the firebenders are two swordsmen and a spearman (in the center), behind that team is General Mak and two of his guards.

One of Mak's guards has dual swords and the other has a long double-bladed sword. General Mak: "Zerrel! It's not too late to surrender."

Zerrel: "You know I'm come too far now to surrender."

General Mak: "You'll never find Zuko."

Zerrel: "I know otherwise. It was noble of you to try to buy enough time for your friends to escape, but I know more about this palace than you seem to understand. I studied its structure for years, I know where every route is and everywhere they could run!" General Mak singals and his troopers in front step forward.

Beruto stomps the ground and the shield-wielding warrior in front of him is launched ten feet in the air. Fire Nation shield trooper: "Ahhhhhaaaahaaa!" The man falls toward the double-bladed warrior, who dives forward to avoid being crushed. Karanga fires a volley of wrist blades at the warrior with a shield and spear. The warrior blocks the incoming metal projectiles then lunges at Karanga and swings his spear at her.

Karanga bobs right against the wall then launches herself off the wall and kicks the warrior in his face. The spearman rolls over and the assassin directs a volley of metal blades into the firebender in front of her. The other soldier with a shield looks at Zerrel and Solven. Zerrel taunts, "Well, pick one of us then."

The warrior scurries at Solven but Solven is hesitant to fire, not knowing if his acid will be strong enough to melt through the man's shield. Zerrel raises his hands and bolts a beam of yellow fire at the man's face. The warrior raises his shield to keep himself from being blinded by the bright light and the fire hits his shield. The warrior backpedals from the blast.

Zerrel manuvers his left leg and kicks a low flame into the warrior's right foot. The warrior falls over and but keeps a hold of his shield. Beruto says, "No funny business." Beruto pulls his right hand down and part of the ceiling caves in on top of the warrior. Beruto extends his right hand and some of the debris that fell on the warrior fly into the firebender behind him.

The firebender's head is popped like a watermelon by a debris. Another firebender pumps his right hand forward, hurling an orange fire torpedo at the earthbender. Beruto raises his hands and a wall of stone intercepts the shot. Beruto extends his left hand and the wall horizontally flies toward the firebender. The object splits the man in half then flies into the swordsman behind him.

A spearman throws his weapon at Zerrel but Zerrel pivots right then points his left hand as he flicks a yellow fireball into his enemy's chest. Spearman: "Oof."

A swordsman rushes at Karanga and swings vertically at her. Karanga weaves left and activates her wrist blades. The man swings horizontally at her neck but the assassin rolls right then glides her left blade into the trooper's stomach.

Swordsman: "Ahhh.." Karanga pulls her left hand back and the man falls; her left wrist blade is searing with blood.

(Music Stops)

Zerrel glares at General Mak, "So much needless death that could be avoided if you brought him to me."

The general shouts, "I don't believe you! My men are prepared to die if necessary, for global peace."

Zerrel objects, "Global peace is a lie. And officials who lie to the public have committed treason against those people. What good is a government if it doesn't exist to please the people?"

General Mak: "I don't have time for your riddles and I will not entertain them!"

Zerrel: "Then suffer the fate of all the ignorant." Zerrel pulls his left hand back and it flickers with yellow fire. Mak briefly realizes Zerrel is left-handed, making his fight stance and patterns a bit unorthodox. Zerrel fires a yellow beam of fire at Mak's face. Mak looks a bit too long before he leaps down and is blinded.

Mak yells, "I can't see! Help me troopers." Zerrel stands and smiles. The warrior with dual swords charges at Karanga. Karanga propels a storm of metal blades at the man but the duelist swats the projectiles away.

Karanga replies, "Impressive, most troops can't block my blades."

Fire Nation swordsman: "You've got a real one now."

Karanga: "Prove it."

The Fire Nation swordsman diagonally launches himself at Karanga with a spinning attack, "Ahhhaaahhaaa!!" Karanga rolls left then fires several darts into the man's back. Swordsman: "Oh!!"

Karanga: "Not bad, but I'm not impressed." Beruto launches a wall of earth into the double-bladed duelist.

Zerrel closes in on Mak, "Your best simply isn't good enough. But don't worry Mak, I won't kill you and your vision loss isn't permanent." Zerrel nods and Beruto pounds Mak in his face. Mak passes out and Beruto creates earth cuffs over his hands and feet. Zerrel commands, "Keep a hold of the general Beruto and stay behind us. The extra captive might be of some value to us, the rest of us will take care of the remaining enemies."

Solven: "You want Zuko alive, but what about his Kyoshi guards?"

Zerrel: "If they survive the encounter, take them captive as well. They may be used as collateral over some of their more influential friends. But I don't care for their lives, only Zuko's. Kill them if need be." Solven nods.

Zerrel walks until the team arrives before the front door of the chambers. Zerrel fires a beam around the door's edges again and it falls. The team enters the front chambers. The DOJ enforcers don't see Zuko or his Kyoshi protectors. Instead, they notice five intel troopers. Behind them is a man with black armor, light blue markings, and a silver collar. The man has brown hair, hazel eyes, olive skin, a small nose, and a moderate build.

Zerrel: "Ahh, who are you?"

Intel officer: "I'm Captain Yelpone, the new second in the command of the Intel Department."

Zerrel: "It's too bad I didn't run into the new Director yet, it will be a shame for the new Department to lose you so quickly."

Captain Yelpone: "We'll see about that, troopers engage." The intel troopers advance in their slick black armor with white markings.

Zerrel: "Beruto, maybe the general can wait."

Beruto lays Mak aside, "Wonderful, I've still got some fight left in me." One intel trooper moves toward Solven, another moves at Beruto, two advance toward Zerrel, and another runs after Karanga. Zerrel swiftly pumps a yellow flame in the trooper right of him. Zerrel moves with blinding speed and precision that is remarkable even among elite forces.

The other intel trooper fires two light orange flames at Zerrel's face. Zerrel spins right and counters with a swift yellow flame at his enemy's body. The trooper lowers his arms and blocks the shot. The trooper pumps two more orange flames at his Zerrel. Zerrel slides left then spins forward and pumps a yellow brick of fire into his enemy's gut.

Another intel trooper pushes a beam of orange fire at Beruto. Beruto rolls right then raises his right hand and anotepad incline of earth emerges beside the master firebender. Beruto pulls the wall left and tries to crush the man. The elite trooper rolls left and Beruto lunges at his enemy with the intent to smash him. The elite trooperlbobs right left and Beruto extends his arms. A part of the ground rises and hits the trooper's helmet, laying him out.

Solven raises his hands and fires a beam of acid at the intel trooper in front of him. The trooper crosses his hands to block the acid, the acid splashes against his arms. Solven: "My acid is not like fire fool, hahaha. You're doomed." The intel trooper is unfazed, "My armor is more advanced than that of most troopers. Your acid isn't hot enough and we have the most over our arms."

Solven: "Hmm, then what about the legs?!" Solven fires a beam of acid at the man's legs. The firebender skips over the beam and kicks a rod of light orange fire at his opponent. Solven swivels left and the trooper lands a couple of feet right of the acidbender's position. Solven pops two acid balls into his enemy.

Intel trooper: "Ahhhhaahha!!" The remaining intel trooper pumps two flames at Karanga. Karanga slides left and the man jabs a beam of bright orange fire at her. Karanga rolls right. The intel trooper pumps a brick of orange fire at the assassin, but she soars forward and lands closer to her enemy. The bender shoots a stream of bright orange flames at Karanga's face. Karanga slides forward, but is nearly blinded by the light.

Karanga horizontally spins and slashes the man's legs. The trooper hits the deck and Karanga prepares to fire a metal blade to finish him off. Captain Yelpone extends his hands and fires a beam of light orange fire with a yellow interior at her. Karanga leaps right and the flames explode as they hit a wall behind her. Zerrel lunges at Yelpone and pumps an explosive rod of yellow fire at him.

Yelpone blocks the flame, but the explosion knocks him out of the palace window and to his death. Zerrel: "Soon they will realize that even their best is nothing compared to us."

Back Against The Wall

Firelord Zuko runs with Ty Lee and Suki behind him. A fire nation swordsman and spearman travel behind them. The team runs in a tunnel toward a secret exit with several torches intentionally dosed. Zuko: "I can't believe we let them set all of this up without noticing."

Suki: "They must have had some inside agents."

Ty Lee: "Well, the good news is they probably don't know about this hidden route. Even most high-ranking officers don't know about this."

Suki: "If only Aang was here. He's still on his spiritual quest and no one has heard from him in a while."

Zuko intensely says, "They knew exactly when the strike. They must have been planning this for a very long time." As the team runs they notice three Disciple of Justice messengers emerge in the tunnel. The warriors have their white masks with yellow markings. One has a spear, another has a curved sword, and the other is an earthbender.

Messenger spearman: "It's over!"

Zuko comments, "I doubt that." Another messenger emerges that is a firebender behind the team and a man with chain blades steps beside him.

Messenger with chain blades, "Now will you surrender?"

Zuko sighs, "Uh ok, but uh." Zuko huffs then suddenly sneezes a large light orange flame into the swordsman.

Swordsman: "Awwwaahaaaa!!" Zuko turns and pumps two blades at the earthbender. The earthbender raises a wall of earth and blocks the shots. Zuko's flames are different from that of other firebenders. Zuko's flames are primarily light orange, but there are hints of rainbow colors in it. Hints of blue, white, red, green, and purple flames are in Zuko's orange fire. This makes Zuko's flames about as hot as Zerrel's but still less hot than Macai and Azula's.

The earthbender fires several chucks of his cover at the Firelord. Zuko rolls right. Meanwhile, the warrior with chainblades swings his weapons and launches them inside of the Fire Nation guards. Spearman: "Ah!!"

Ty Lee shouts, "You jerk!!" The messenger firebender kicks a rod of orange fire at Ty Lee. Ty Lee weaves left then the firebender pumps two fireballs at her. Ty Lee slides left then the firebender turns and shoots a beam of orange fire at her. The young woman jumps left. The messenger with chain blades swings his blades at Suki.

Suki ducks then swats the chain blades left and lunges at her enemy. Suki nails the messenger with a flying kick then throws her right fan into the firebender's neck, dropping him. Ty Lee winks at Suki in a friendly manner. As this is happening, the earthbender launches the rest of his cover at Zuko. Zuko leaps left and prepares to fire a beam of fire into his enemy but the spearman lunges at the Firelord's chest.

Zuko shifts left as he barely avoids the blow. Zuko moves his right hand and blasts the spearman in his stomach with a light orange flame. The earthbender pulls his arms left and several earth fragments pelt Zuko, knocking him left. Suki shots, "Zuko!" Suki charges at the earthbender and he hurls a square of earth at her.

Suki rolls right while Ty Lee sprints at her opponent's other flank. The earthbender launches several bricks at Ty Lee but Ty Lee dashes left of the man's position. The earthbender turns around and Ty Lee roundhouse kicks him in his face. Zuko gets up and his right cheek is pink from a brick that hit him. Suki: "Are you ok?"

Zuko responds, "I'm fine, let's go."

Suki: "Wait? If they found us, then our evacuation team has probably been hit already."

Zuko: "We still need to keep moving, anything is better than staying here."

Suki: "No matter what we do, we should holdout until reinforcements come. The full might of the Fire Nation will come to this city, there is no way this random force will hold out against them."

Zuko: "Suki, we don't even know what they are capable of. Until now we didn't even know they had an army!"

Suki: "Maybe, but they aren't invincible."

Ty Lee points behind them, "Guys." Zuko sees Karanga charging.

Zuko: "Oh great, an assassin. Go ahead, I'll hold her off."

Suki shouts, "No! They want you, you're the Firelord! We'll hold her off!"

Zuko: "Then I guess we're staying together."

Ty Lee yells, "Just run!" Zuko encircles his hands and set the walls and floor on fire. Zuko pushes his right hand forward and the fire flows toward Karanga. A swirl of earth emerges and intercepts the fire, the two cancel earth other out. Zuko squints his eyes and notices Beruto behind her.

Zuko: "Great another one."

Ty Lee: "Now can we leave?!"

Zuko: "Yeah." Zuko, Ty Lee, and Suki run out of the hallway and make it outside. They notice Zerrel waiting for them with Solven standing beside him.

Zerrel comments, "Hello Zuko, we have much to discuss." Suki lunges at Zerrel and Zerrel swiftly pumps his left hand and blasts her in her belly with a yellow flame. Suki flies several feet backward unconscious.

Ty Lee: "No!!!" Zerrel flicks his left hand again and pops Ty Lee in her left shoulder with a yellow blast Ty Lee collapses unconsciously. Zuko pounds a surge of light orange fire (with hints of every color) at Zerrel. Zerrel leaps right and rapidly fires two yellow flames at Zuko. Zuko rotates left then springs back on his feet, realizing Zerrel shoots flames faster than anyone he's ever seen and just as accurately as Azula.

Zerrel extends his right hand and fires a beam of yellow flames at Zuko's face. Zuko pivots right and his vision is slightly blurred by the brightness of Zerrel's flames. Zerrel flicks a fireball at the right side of Zuko's face. Zuko extends his left arm and parries the flame. Zerrel punches a second flame at Zuko's right side. Zuko blocks the flame with his right elbow.

Zuko pumps a flame from his left fist at Zerrel's gut. Zerrel slides left and Zuko pumps another flame at Zerrel's neck with his right fist. The firebending master slides right. Zerrel rapidly pumps two yellow flames at Zuko's face. Zuko slides and fires a beam of light orange fire at Zerrel's stomach. Zerrel ducks then crosses his arms and blocks the flame but slides backward, leaving dirt marks on the ground.

Zerrel shakes his arms and smoke flows from them, "Not bad."

Zuko: "Shut up!" Zuko hops closer to his challenger and pumps two light orange flames at Zerrel. The mysterious firebender spins right then waves his arms and shoots a beam of bright yellow fire at Zuko. Zuko widens his eyes then scoots left. Zerrel pumps an upper left flame at Zuko's stomach. Zuko rotates his body sideways, as he avoids the shot. Zerrel extends his left hand and generates a yellow fire whip then swings at Zuko.

Zuko launches himself off the wall then a few feet right of Zerrel's position. Zuko pulls his hands back and hurls an explosive ball of multi-colored fire at Zerrel. Zerrel leaps over the ball of fire and a colorful explosion erupts under him. Zerrel extends his arms and directs a beam of yellow fire at Zuko's chest. The yellow fire briefly blinds Zuko when he looks up and the Firelord is nailed in his chest.

The yellow fire explodes on impact and Zuko's bones shake from the eruption. Zuko moans, "Uhhhaaaahaaa!" Zuko slides several feet backward and tumbles in the dirt before he passes out. Solven steps beside Zerrel then Beruto emerges while carrying General Mak. Five DOJ troopers join them.

Zerrel: "Troopers, take the unconscious Kyoshi warriors and restrain them. I will decide exactly what to do with them later." DOJ trooper: "Yessir! Our forces have a stolen hot air balloon that can pick us up. The immediate enemy reinforcements detected have all been infantry, so sign of any hostile airships at the moment. Voren's counter-campaign has also been successful."

Zerrel asks, "And Voren's Wingmen have joined this fight? Because they would be the distraction we need to escape and some of them could give us cover on our way out."

DOJ trooper: "They should be here any second now." Three Fire Nation troopers wait on a rooftop. One is a swordsman, another is a firebender, and the other is an archer.

Army firebender: "Keep moving, push them back. Relief is coming! They did a lot of damage but they're weakening. They can't hold out forever. The faster we push them, the faster we can assist Zuko's defense team."

The archer points, "Wait, look up in the sky." The firebender raises his head and notices dozens of warriors with metal wings descending toward the city.

Army firebender: "My goodness..."

The swordsman suddenly snaps, "What are you waiting for? Shoot them down!"

Archer: "They're out of range. Give me some time." An arrow flies through the back of the firebender's neck.

The archer and swordsman turn around and notice a wingman archer. The archer fires an arrow into the wingman's chest and he falls. Another wingman with a sword cuts down the swordsman. Archer: "Reckono!" Another wingman flies behind the archer and kicks her off the building. Archer: "Nooooo!!!"

Zerrel soars in his hot air balloon with a restrained unconscious Zuko in it. One of the troopers gives Zuko a shot to keep him asleep during the flight. Karanga rides with him. Beruto and Solven ride in another balloon with Ty Lee and Suki as well as some other guards. Zerrel (to Karanga): "I'm glad I'm not riding with Solven, him falling in a crash landing would be a disaster."

For now, the villains have won and the 31st has been completely outwitted. Macai's forces were distracted by some enemies while the Fire Nation Capital was sacked. The Firelord has been kidnapped and his escort has been beaten down. Without the Avatar, can anyone save our heroes?