chapter

[Agna Qel'a]

We struck while they slept.

Out of the blizzard-worn wastelands, we emerged like a horde of vengeful shadows. The 41st Division, Fire Nation Elites without peer, stalking out of the barren polar wastes. The armoured shoulders of our dark greatcoats, still dusted with the crystalline snow of the True North Pole. Our sharp blades, chilled from the unforgiving cold. And our Ostrich-horse steeds, terribly hungry from the journey.

We crept down the icy cliffs and into the city of Agna Qel'a where we found its people in their beds, sleeping soundly and without a care in the world.

Why wouldn't they be?

As far as they knew, the Great War was far beyond the horizon- several oceans away- past a shining sea riddled with sharp icebergs that only Water Tribe patrol ships could navigate, past a great coastal wall of ice that could only be opened to Waterbenders, and past their militia that were ready to arm themselves for war at a moment's notice. The Northern Water Tribe had every reason to feel safe and sleep easy in their frozen city... even as the Fire Nation's deadliest division rushed through its streets by the waterways, stepped into their homes of packed snow and ice and pushed our sharp and {Exquisite}blades straight through their warm fur blankets.

I supervised this precise butchery. My seven-foot-tall frame of tempered steel and muscle stood just outside the royal palace of Agna Qel'a, watching my troops advance through the sleeping city.

The Great Chinggis always ensured that a path of retreat was always available for his army: Never giving his enemies the power to dictate when and where the battle must take place, no matter how indirectly. And here, I will do the same. Whoever controlled the palace grounds, controlled the only way up to the Polar Wastelands. The small contingent of Waterbending royal palace guards that I had left dead and broken ensured that for now.

Until the 41st Division finished what we came to this city to do, I needed to personally hold this point- an immovable obelisk for the enemy forces, as if to say: 'Not one step further.'

After all, taking territory was something my troops were very good at, but holding them? I was more suited for the task. But despite the mountain violence occurring all across the city, the air over Agna Qel'a was still clear- not a single plume of black smoke to even hint that this city was under attack by Fire Nation forces. And what few screams rang out were cut off almost immediately. One could even say that things were... peaceful still.

A good sign. The longer that the city remained confused and unaware, the higher this operation's chances of success.

It was serene, standing alone in front of the royal palace, I turned my attention back towards the chaos that was Agna Qel'a. My hand reached up as if to cradle the silvery half-moon in my armoured palm.

It shouldn't be long now. Not long at all.

Then a new sound reached my ears: Ostrich-horse feet pounding on snowy streets.

The Lieutenant and her squad atop their Ostrich-horses galloped into view- turning around the corner of a tall ice building. Brown feathers on their plumed helmet swaying in the chill air, their black and red greatcoat and armour splashed with blood, and the Lieutenant's amethyst purple eyes shone through the eyes slits from the nightvision effects of {Mountain Dew: Frostbite} elixir as she and the others rushed up the royal palace's icy steps to me.

"Sir! 1st Cavalry Scout Squad reporting in!" The Lieutenant greeted me as she reached my side.

"You're early, 1st Squad. And I see you brought your HVTs." My eyes glanced at the tied up form of the unfortunate men and women laid across the back of the 1st Squad's ostrich–horses. "I presume your other objective has been similarly completed?"

"Yes, sir!" She saluted with pride in her voice, "We've taken control of all the watchtowers in the upper city ring. All alarm horns and drums have been destroyed, and the current shift of guards eaten."

"Honk." Her steed agreed with a burp, and her armoured hand reached out to ruffle the feathers on its neck.

"No one will be able to raise the alarm city-wide, sir."

"Good, and the others?" I prompted.

The Lieutenant turned in her saddle and extended an arm out to a specific ice manor in the city. "Sir, 2nd Squad captured their HVTs earlier than expected and are currently pursuing secondary targets." She said, then extended her arm to another point in the frozen city- closer to the coastal wall this time. "The 3rd and 4th had just captured their HVTs, but with significant collateral damage due to their HVTs' proximity to what we believe are new barracks for Water Tribe naval patrols. In response, elements of the 2nd Regiment were forced to storm and silence the mid ring's alarm tower, over there."

Her armoured hand pointed to said tower. A red scarf attached to the alarm drum flapped in the arctic winds- subtly signifying that it had been taken by friendly forces.

"Meanwhile, the bulk of the 2nd Regiment itself reports having successfully penetrated their targets' perimeters and are standing by, awaiting further instructions, sir." The Lieutenant continued on, "And as for the Kyoshi Warriors, the latest intel from the 2nd Regiment suggests their HVT has been localised within the lower city ring. They should be closing in by now if they haven't captured their target already."

"Things are progressing better than I expected..." I noted, "We have our fingers on the trigger, but since you already have our 'chief' HVT, let's see if we can't win here and now."

Reaching out behind her, I lifted the bag-headed prisoner off her ostrich-horse and down to the ground.

I yanked off the thick fur bag over his head, and undid his gag. The aged Chieftain Arnook was still in his warm fur-lined blue pajamas as his eyes adjusted to the moonlight. Then when they did, his wrinkled face paled in fear and surprise as he found my skull-faced helm looking down at him, as well the sight of our Fire Nation reds and blacks.

"You! You're the Fire Nation Giant!" He whispered, then with a sharp intake of breath... "WE'RE UND-"

My large, armoured hand gripped his mouth shut- with just enough force to let him know that I could crush his jaw like an egg if he gave me a reason. I gently admonished him for it, "Don't scream, chieftain, it makes our Ostrich-horses hungry. But since we both have heard of the other, we can skip the introductions. I'll even allow you one question for me to answer before we start."

I released his mouth, and his wrinkled brows furrowed as he seemed to think very carefully what he wanted for his question.

"... How are you here?" He finally asked. "The snow is still free from the soot of your warships, and no Fire Nation ship has been sighted in almost half a decade! You should not be here. You cannot be here!"

I shared a look with Cavalry Scouts and we laughed in the chieftain's face.

"Ah, I understand." I nodded with faux empathy, "The Northern Water Tribe had gotten so comfortable not meeting the Fire Nation in open combat, hasn't it? Why would you when you could just hide behind your icy seas and ambush any Fire Nation Navy ship who attempts to go near? Yes, why would you ever fight honourably on the field of battle, when you could just fight to win? Only now, we're doing the same: The Fire Nation fighting to win this war too, Chieftain. Starting with Agna Qel'a."

That declaration made his blue eyes harden with determination, "You will not take our city!" He said, "The Spirits of the Moon and the Ocean are with us! This is a fight you cannot win!"

"Fight you?" I chuckled before extending an armoured hand out to the still quiet city, "Do you hear that? The absence of screams of the dying? The lack of roaring flames and the victorious calls of feasting Ostrich-horses? No, Chieftain, we haven't even begun to fight... but it will only take a single loud 'Honk' from this ostrich-horse to doom this entire city to fight a war it cannot win. Just one."

Chieftain Arnook met eyes with Lieutenant's Ostrich-horse that stood even taller as I did. The great beast's beady-black eyes stared into the Chieftain's blue as it stalked closer and craned its massive beaked face low until it was face to face with him.

*Hiss*

With a hiss, it opened its drooling maw wide and blew a stream of hot breath right onto the Chieftain's face. Rows of razor sharp teeth-like barbs ran along the insides and along its tongue's edges. Flecks of blood still splattered across them from its earlier light snack of Water Tribe soldiers.

Face to face with a gruesome death, the chieftain recoiled slightly of course, a shiver of fear that he could not hide. But credit where it was due, he did what most grown men couldn't and managed to tear his wrinkled gaze away from the Ostrich-horse. Instead, he looked at me and quietly demanded.

"You have not killed me yet. Why are we speaking, Giant?"

I gestured to the Ostrich-horse to back up.

"Because we're fighting to win." I repeated solemnly, reaching into my [Inventory], "And the best kind of victory is the one where we don't have to throw a single firebolt."

With a rattle of expensive paper, I unfurled a gilded scroll out in front of him: The sharp, forceful calligraphy of Fire Lord Ozai himself claiming the scroll's entire face- spelling out an irreversible edict that commanded all Fire Nation troops to cease hostilities with the Northern Water Tribe... and also acknowledging and accepting the Northern Water Tribe's formal declaration of conditional surrender. Generous terms too. They become a vassal nation to the Fire Nation: We get a sizable yearly tribute of their blue jade, their furs and other goods. In exchange, we won't burn their wives and rape their homes or something.

Carefully, I placed the scroll on the icy floor in front of the chief along with a brush and ink, and undid the shackles on his hands.

The old man rubbed his wrists as he took one look at the terms and spat. "And why, in the name of the Moon and Ocean Spirits, would I ever sign this, Giant?"

"Because I can give you my word that this is the lesser of the two evils." I said, glancing out past the icy coastal walls and to the shining seas beyond, "You have no idea what's coming to Agna Qel'a if you refuse. I can't spoil the surprise, of course, but I can tell you that you and your people will be very, very relieved in the future that you signed this paper."

"The Avatar has told us of your barbarism in the Earth Kingdom, Giant." He stated with a firm stare, "The words and promises of a brute like you are all empty lies."

"Are they?" I replied, unbothered by the accusation, "If you won't believe my words, then perhaps my deeds will speak for me. King Bumi yet lives despite fighting me personally. Omashu lies almost untouched by the ravages of war despite their decades-long resistance against my nation. And the great majority of the townspeople that surrendered to me are enjoying safety and prosperity that they hadn't achieved since their founding. Chieftain, you have every reason to take this offer and spare your people from the horrors that this war can bring."

"Is that a threat, Fire Nation?"

"A reminder." I told him, "You knew that the war was eventually going to come to the North Pole. If not by my forces, then by another's. I'm sure you've made plans to defend your city against some sieging Fire Nation fleet or the like. A grand speech at your royal palace to rally defenders, or perhaps a daring raid on the Fire Nation flagship. But the uncaring reality is that we are already here: Behind all your brave troops, past all your defences, inside your very homes."

My great armoured hand gestured to the soft furs of his sleepwear, and he turned his face away from me. But I continued regardless.

"Chieftain Arnook, your city is already taken, and your war, over before it even began. Now is the time to think about securing your people's future in this unpleasant present that they have found themselves in."

For a long minute of silence, his blue eyes peered through the eye slits of my helmet, locking with my green eyes until finally... he slumped in defeat- looking down to the scroll and sighing, "... I understand, Fire Nation."

Everyone including myself watched as he took the calligraphy brush in a shaky, resigned hand.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Lieutenant's armoured hand tighten slightly around her reins, and the rest of the 1st Cavalry Scout Squad reacted similarly- tensing up and staring hard. We all knew this was the moment of truth. The 41st Division was staring down at the possibility of a full-blown winter war with the entirety of the Northern Water Tribe. And despite our extensive training and planning to handily win such a war, if we could seize victory- right here and right now- we definitely would.

But just as the aged Water Tribe Chieftain was about to put brush to paper, he swiped the ink bottle and upended its contents right onto the scroll- each thick glug of dark ink resounding through the cold air.

"No..." I heard my Cavalry Scouts' gasps as the promise of surrender was washed away in a puddle of black, and with it, any hope of a quick resolution to this conflict in the North Pole- consigning us all to a brutal and bloody winter war.

Arnook tossed the now emptied ink bottle aside and looked defiantly up at me, declaring, "By the Moon and Ocean Spirits, Agna Qel'a will never surrender!"

In the shadows of my skull-faced helm, my green eyes narrowed. But rather than being angry, I simply glanced at the Lieutenant and nodded.

"Sound the offensive."

The Lieutenant clicked her tongue and a hungry gleam immediately came to her ostrich-horse's beady black eyes. The great bird tossed its head back- pointing its beak to the starry sky and loosed the warcry that resounded across the entire city.

"HOOOO~OOOOONK!"

The dinner bell was rung, and the response was immediate.

Out across the sleeping city of blue and white ice, great explosions rocked lit up the city in orange fireballs. Fires raged and pillars of choking, black smoke rose high into the night sky- obscuring the moon. And panicked screams echoed out as people were roused from sleep by ravenous ostrich-horses breaking down their bedroom doors. Even as the city flailed awake, the 41st Division's armoured fist squeezed only tighter around its throat, and the honking of our feasting ostrich-horses, growing only louder as well.

"Moon Spirit preserve us..." Chieftain Arnook whispered in horror. Mouth hanging open as the flames of his besieged city reflected off his blue eyes.

"You look so surprised, chieftain. Was this not what you intended with your dramatic gesture of defiance?"

With the blame thrown back at him, he glowered at me, "Your barbarism will not go unpunished, Giant!"

"And neither will your defiance." I replied and gestured to the ruined scroll laying in the snow. "You destroyed the one thing that would have secured your people the gentle treatment that a conditional surrender would have guaranteed. And now, chieftain, you had better pray to the Moon Spirit. Pray that the people of Agna Qel'a will surrender unconditionally soon, and pray... that they will survive fighting us."

"The Northern Water Tribe is stronger than you believe, Fire Nation." he spat back, "We will drive you out of Agna Qel'a and- Ughk!"

His valiant shout was cut off with a flick of my wrist- sending a brown-feathered (Potent) {Shirshu-spit Dart} digging into his shoulder. And immediately, the aged chieftain fell limply onto the snow. His mouth hung open mid-sentence and his blue eyes rolled around as he struggled to move a body paralyzed by the poison.

Shaking my head, I reached down to the ice, delicately picking up the ruined scroll and rolling it up. So much for an easy victory. I nodded towards the Lieutenant. "Make sure this trash lives to see his people break before us."

"Yes, commander!" She replied, voice hardened with anger as well. And the chief was once again bound, bagged and secured to the rump of her Ostrich-Horse.

I turned my attention to the chaos that was Agna Qel'a and considered how things were developing. Even as the sounds of battle raged louder as more and more Waterbenders woke up to join the brutal, urban melee... Things were going smoothly, very smoothly. The 41st was supposed to be in full withdrawal by now, I had planned for us to be detected on our approach to the city, and even planned for a brutal breakthrough against determined defenders. But our sneak attack was proving even more effective than I had ever hoped. In fact, an opportunity was presenting itself to me.

New Quest:

A FATED MEETING

Main Objective: Inflict a considerable amount of damage on each member of Team Avatar before daybreak arrives (0/4)

Sub-Objective #1: Have Aang activate the Avatar State during your fight

Rewards:

Large bonus exp

Perk Point x2

Spirit: +10 Stat Points

Secondary Rewards:

All Stats: +5 Stats Points

+ R +

... That is the most stupidly risky quest I've ever encountered.

It popped up only now while I have my hands full with a delicate and more important mission, and the quest makes it sound like I'm not even expected to win! This would be an instant pass for me, except... this was also the first time I had seen Stat Points as a reward. And it was quite a lot of it too- more than two entire weeks' worth of pure training, likely more. Not to mention that included my Intelligence Stat with its stunted growth! It had taken me more than a month of reading to raise my intelligence by five! If I completed this quest, I'd be one point away from unlocking the [Engineering] skill.

"Great risk for great reward, huh?" I wondered out loud, looking over to a specific spot in the city where the fighting was minimal. To where that big, juicy target that I had explicitly ordered my men to avoid. Overextending one's forces against a powerful unit will always be a gamble after all. I could always decline. "To press the advantage or quit while I'm ahead..."

The Lieutenant- clearly having heard me muttering- spoke up. "Sir, the 1st Cavalry Squad is ready for whatever additional target you'll assign us, sir!"

That's right... The quest didn't say that I had to do it alone.

I spared them a glance. Clad in their (Masterwork) [41st Division Cavalry Scout Armour] (Of Blunt Resistance) that I had forged myself- able to turn away blades, icicles and boulders with ease. (Masterwork) weapons that held a deadly edge just as good as any of Piandao's swords. And of course, those [41st Division Frostguard Greatcoat] (Of Warmth) that had kept attrition due to arctic conditions close to zero.

The Elites of the Fire Nation elites. My most experienced, and my deadliest. Ready to charge even the walls of Ba Sing Se at my command... which was why I didn't want to risk such immensely valuable troops.

But we wouldn't even be here if we were risk-averse cowards, a bit of recklessness was par for course now.

"Very well..." I barked out. "1st Cavalry Scout Squad!"

"Sir!" Their gauntlets clicked against their helmets in a salute, even their ostrich-horses stood straighter.

"Drop off your target at the OP!" I directed, "Relay to the 3rd and 4th Regiments that it's their time to shine in rearguard operations! The 1st and 2nd Regiments will be withdrawing soon with their prizes, and we're not about to let those sleepy-eyed Waterbenders have their HVTs back. Afterwards, grab June and home in on my scent! You'll be reinforcing me as I tackle the mother of all HVTs that needs our personal attention: The Avatar and his team."

That actually caught my 1st Squad by surprise.

"... We're capturing the Avatar, sir?" The Lieutenant asked quietly, meanwhile the rest of the 1st Squad had gone still behind her. I had briefed them on the Avatar's capabilities after all. This would be a suicide mission within a suicide operation.

"No, capture is too risky." I clarified to them, "Our aim is to inflict enough damage to take them out of the fight. My previous order still stands, I want you all alive to see Agna Qel'a fly Fire Nation colours. Do you understand, 1st Squad?!"

"Understood, sir!"

"Well, what are you waiting for? A personal letter from Fire Lord Ozai?! Double time it to the OP, 1st Squad! There are starving ostrich-horses who haven't tried Waterbender yet!"

"Sir, yes, sir!" They saluted again and immediately departed- their ostrich-horses kicking up snow as they raced away.

The metallic rattle of finely-forged chains rang out as I readied my (Masterwork) [Steel Meteor Hammer] (Of Durability). In wide circles, the great heavy ball of steel swung with a deep continuous whoosh of displaced air. And with a flick of my wrist, I tested it on a nearby ice obelisk- the steel ball of my meteor hammer shattering it under a single strike.

Good.

I need to be smart about this.

Down the steps of the temple, my great armoured frame charged into Agna Qel'a.

More than just because the quest demanded it, I recognise now that fighting Team Avatar had to be done if the 41st Division was to have the edge in the coming battles. But I always knew this day would come eventually- I was Fire Nation after all, and I've long accepted it. Call it Fate, call it Destiny, call it the consequences of my own actions. There was no room for doubt or hesitation. I had a brief window of opportunity here- not just to increase our chances of survival, but to shift the course of the entire war. Tonight.

My role was clear: Ruin the Avatar's day, and if I can, neutralise the most important member of Team Avatar, dead or alive.

(A few minutes ago) [Elsewhere in Agna Qel'a]

"Sokka, what's happening?!" Princess Yue cried out to him, frightened and breathless, as their running footsteps echoed through the streets of Agna Qel'a.

"I think we're under attack!" He shouted back. He felt beads of cold sweat run down his neck and into his blue parka as he turned his head this way and that- desperately trying to figure out where best to lead the Princess to safety. Their mittened hands held each other tightly as he led the way.

"Please slow down, Sokka, I can't keep up!" She begged, her footsteps slowing and making Sokka frown.

Shouting and screaming echoed through the city along with those weird honking sounds. And they were growing louder. This wasn't the time to slow down. Every second counted. But as he looked back at Yue, with her snow-white hair was frazzled, and the chest of her purple, fur-lined parka-dress rising and falling with each gasp of air... He was reminded that he needed to care about her just as much he needed to keep her safe.

"Sorry Yue." he apologised to her, "But we have to get you out of this Fire Nation attack."

"I just... How can the city be under attack?" She panted as they huddled on the doorstep of one of the ice buildings. Just enough that they off the streets and pressed against the front door, safe in the shadows.

"Can't you see? Smoke means Fire Nation- it's not just a fire, it's an invasion!" He thrust his mitten-covered hand to the black cloud rising high into the night sky.

But Yue's hesitant ice blue eyes looked up at him, still doubting, "It's just not possible..." She shook her head, her snow white hair swaying, "The two of us were looking out to the Northern Sea just a while ago! You saw it too, Sokka! There's no enemy ships in sight! Maybe it is just a fire? We should go and help them."

"Several fires raging across the city at the same time?" He narrowed his eyes at the smoke rising into the night sky, "Yeah, I don't buy it. This is definitely the Fire Nation somehow. And running towards the fires is just asking for trouble. You have to believe me. Please."

She looked him in the eye, and nodded.

"I believe you..."

"Take a moment to catch your breath." Sokka nodded, then took the time to glance around to get his bearings.

He peeked out- looking up and down the street. The ice buildings of Agna Qel'a stood tall around them, the city streets reminding him of those great iceberg canyons back home in the South Pole, complete with a little river that flowed between the rows of buildings.

Honk! Honk! Honk!

All the raging fires and screaming and weird honking sounds had finally woken the people of Agna Qel'a up too.

Sokka spotted them- sleepy-eyed people leaning out their windows and even stepping to take a closer look, still in their sleepwear as they held their groggy children close and looked up and down the streets- trying to see what the commotion was about... Only to get even more confused when their street looked peaceful. Nothing apart from the humongous plumes of smoke rising from elsewhere in the city. Some gawked, some rushed out to see what was happening, most just gawked and pointed.

He couldn't blame them either. From what he's heard, the Northern Water Tribe hasn't fought a ground battle with the Fire Nation in over fifty years. Maybe even seventy. They wouldn't know a Fire Nation attack even if they were watching one happen in front of them... which it definitely was.

Honk! Honk! Honk!

"Why hasn't the alarm been sounded?" Sokka grunted, "Where are the guards?! No one knows what's going on! And... WHAT THE SHRIMP IS MAKING ALL THOSE HONKING NOISES?!"

"Honk!"

That particular honk was close by. Too close by. And if that wasn't enough to put him on edge, then the reactions of the people up in the windows was more telling- horrified screaming before slamming their windows shut, and Sokka pressed his back against the door and pushed Princess Yue to do the same.

"Let's keep quiet, Princess Yue." Sokka sushed.

"Okay..." She replied, her warmth pressing up against him. It said a lot of how focused he was that he barely even noticed the combination of her soft purple parka and her soft body pressing up against him.

The shadow of something big loomed around the corner of a nearby intersection. Then the largest ostrich-horse that Sokka had ever seen stalked around it. It was so large that it was less of an animal and more like a feathered boulder on legs. But it was the rider that really caught Sokka's attention. The red and black armour couldn't be mistaken for anything else.

"Fire Nation! Right there!" He whispered.

On the far side of the waterway, a pair of Waterbending guards in their blue parka uniforms rushed the Ostrich-horse.

"Stop right there!"

"No, Don't- mph!" Yue whispered, but Sokka stopped her from rushing out just as the fight began.

The waterbending guards tried to fight back. A torso-sized whip of water lashed out from the waterway with a violent crack, and sharp icicle-arrows flew out with a zip of air. Either attack would have made a normal Firebender go down for the count, but against that ostrich-horse?

Neither of them even slowed it down: The water whip may as well have been a love tap and the sharp icicles bounced right off Fire Nation emblem on the Ostrich-horse's black and red barding.

The attacks almost made the ostrich-horse seem excited.

"Honk!"

There was something wrong with seeing an animal so massive move so fast- a wall of feathered muscle and honking evil closing the distance as fast as a thrown harpoon.

The waterbenders had a split second of fear flash over their faces before it was already right on top of them both. Literally. The huge bird stepped on the first one and crushed him underneath a massive taloned foot, steaming red and brown innards bursting out from blue parka and onto the white ice of the street. Its beaked face darted out like a striking snake and... tore out a big chunk out of the waterbender's side. With half of his torso now missing, the remaining waterbender collapsed with a wet gurgle.

"Honk!"

With a victorious honk, the ostrich-horse gobbled its prize up like some juicy worm. Then dived its beak into the carcass for more. But then, it paused for a moment, and beady black eyes looked up from its feast, straight at them.

Both Sokka and Yue hid back in the shadows just as they heard the footsteps stalk closer.

Heart hammering in his chest, Sokka gripped his boomerang tight. But not as tight as how Yue pressed herself against his side in fear. Squeezing her eyes tight.

"Sokka, what do we d-"

"Sssh."

They heard the footsteps stalk closer, and Sokka's hand gripped his boomerang. He didn't like his odds against a giant flesh-eating ostrich-horse, but he was going to protect Yue whatever it takes. But just as the hot breath of Ostrich-horse started misting around their little hiding place, a girl's voice echoed through the street.

"Sergeant, what are you doing here? Regroup with the rest of the 2nd Regiment!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Sokka heard the Fire Nation rider reply, and immediately the heavy steps of the ostrich-horse led away as it honked into the night.

Sokka heard Yue breathe a sigh of relief.

"It ate his liver..." Sokka muttered to himself- slightly freaking out, "It ate his liver! Oh man, of all the rumours about the Fire Nation, why is 'flesh-eating ostrich-horses' the one that's true?!"

"Is that something that the Fire Nation always had?" Yue muttered in a horrified whisper. Her ice blue eyes glanced at the corpses left behind by that monster then back at him, "Sokka, I'm not sure about this. Let's just stay here and hide until the guards come, we can't just-"

"Yue, listen to me!" He held her hands and looked straight into her eyes- trying to mean every word he said, " I'll get you to safety. You're going to be alright, okay?"

It did the trick- Yue shocked out of the panic that she had as she nodded eagerly, now focused on the here and now. "Okay... okay!"

"Great, come on, we have to keep moving."

She held onto his arm as they carefully continued to creep down the street for a while, the blaze and the screaming still going on in the distance.

The snow was falling a bit harder now, and the chill, gnawing through his parka. A sure sign that a blizzard was coming.

Sokka fumbled for his boomerang again. But his nerves were getting to him, and the cold steel just slipped out of his mittened hands. He jerked down to catch the boomerang before it could clatter to the ground. With a breath of relief, he caught it between his fingers. "Almost gave away our position right there."

"you missed!"

"S-sokka, there's someone-" Yue's frightened voice rang out.

"Yue?" He glanced back to her just in time: Her purple-garbed frame crumpled limply to the ice like a rag puppet with its strings cut.

"Yue!" He quickly crouched down to her, and shook her gently. "Are you alright?!"

"that was our last dart!"

"well, he keeps ducking!"

"Nggh!" She grunted, her eyes moving around while the rest of her body stayed limp. For a second, Sokka didn't know what he was looking at until he found it: A brown-feathered dart sticking out of the princess' neck. He lifted it up to the moonlight- found it glistening with a clear poison.

"You're paralyzed..." He realised. Looking around, he found more darts stuck to the ice wall behind him. He must have dodged them just in time.

Sokka jumped into action, brandishing his boomerang as he whipped around- looking for the princess' would-be kidnappers. It was time to make a stand. For Yue.

He jumped into the street, and shouted, "Show yourselves, cowards!"

An amused feminine voice, all too familiar, rang out through the cold air. "You know, that's actually the first thing you ever said to me."

Whipping around, Sokka found his boomerang arm falling limp to his side as he found the last person he expected to find in the North Pole...

"... Suki?" he whispered, coming face to face with the red-headed Kyoshi Warrior.

"Hey, Sokka..." She softly greeted back, her painted lips curved a red line over her snow white face. Her arms- in ceremonial green kimono- crossed over her dark green armour. And her blue eyes twinkling underneath her brass headdress... In other words, she looked just as beautiful as when he left her on Kyoshi Island. And five other familiar faces stood behind her- the very same Kyoshi Warriors that had fought beside him against Zuko.

"Suki!" He grinned in relief, rushing forward to hug her. "What are you doing here? How did you even get here to the North Pole?!"

"Nng!" The Princess of the Northern Water Tribe grunted.

Suddenly reminded of the Water Tribe princess lying paralyzed on the ice- the same one that he was sort-of, technically-maybe dating, Sokka pressed his lips into a thin line and leveled a serious look at the group of Kyoshi Warriors, "Listen, I'm really glad to see you, but we can catch up later! The city's under attack by the Fire Nation! And worse, someone shot these darts at the Princess and now she can't move!"

The Kyoshi Warriors' white painted face glanced at each other.

"Girls, help the Princess up. Let's get her to safety- away from here." Suki said softly as she and the other Kyoshi Warriors helped the princess up by her shoulders. Yue's lavender purple parka-dress stood out even more starkly as she was flanked by the Kyoshi Warriors' black armour and dark green cloaks.

"Nnggg! Nng!" Princess Yue continued to grunt, her blue eyes rapidly flicking between him and the Kyoshi Warriors.

"It's gonna be alright, princess." He squeezed Yue's hand reassuringly, "The Kyoshi Warriors are the bravest bunch of Earth Kingdom warriors you'll ever meet! We're safer now than with a dozen Waterbender guards."

"Sokka?" Suki called his attention, "We can get the Princess to safety, you should go find Aang and make sure he's okay."

He shook his head, "No can do. I'm coming along- I promised to protect Princess Yue after all."

"Suki, don't." One of the other Kyoshi Warriors placed a gloved hand on Suki's shoulder. But Suki just shook her head,

"Sokka's an actual honorary Kyoshi Warrior... He deserves to know what's going on."

"Why? Do you know something about this attack?" Sokka raised an eyebrow.

The Kyoshi Warriors glanced at each other, then Suki nodded to him, "You can say that. But we'll tell you the whole story when we get the Princess to safety. If we can."

"Sounds good to me. Speaking of which... where are we heading, Suki?"

"The royal palace." She answered, her gloved finger pointing up to where the palace towered over the cityscape, "She'll be safe there."

He looked at it for a moment before nodding, "I think you're right. It's pretty clear in that direction. Most of the smoke and fire seem to be coming from the middle and lower rings."

"The Fire Nation seems to be targeting specific areas, instead of an all-out assault."

"Looks like it." He agreed, keeping his eye out just in case Fire Nation soldiers approached from the rear.

"Nng! Nnng!" Yue continued to grunt. And Sokka tried to wrack his brain in figuring out what she wanted to say. Before she was paralysed, Princess Yue's last words were 'there's someone-' right before... right before the Kyoshi Warriors appeared.

He stopped walking.

"What's wrong, Sokka?" Suki asked, the Kyoshi Warriors glancing back at him. They had immediately noticed that he did, as if they were on guard around him.

His blue eyes settled on Suki. Her shoulder-length red hair swayed with the cold breeze. He remembered the wild rumours that he had joked with Aang and Katara on their way here to the North Pole: The ones about vengeful Fire Nation spirits, armoured giants, flesh-eating ostrich-horses and... Evil Kyoshi Warriors. His gut was telling him- screaming at him- that it was true. But, he didn't want to believe it. He couldn't. This was Suki. The first warrior outside of his tribe that he had ever come to respect. She of all people couldn't do something like that! He wanted to refuse to believe it. But... he made a promise to Princess Yue.

So, exhaling deeply, Sokka looked at her in her ocean blue eyes and muttered one thing he'd never thought he'd ever say.

"You're with the Fire Nation, aren't you, Suki?"

There was no panic or anger or surprise in Suki's face, just a calm like the South Pole seas- as if she already knew this day would come and had already accepted it. She nodded and muttered softly.

"Yes..."

It hadn't been much of a question, but Sokka had still hoped the answer would have been something else. His hand clenched into a fist in his mittens as pinpricks stabbed at his heart.

"Why?" He wanted to shout, but instead just came out a pained whisper, "Why are you working for the Fire Nation? They almost burned down your village back at Kyoshi Island, they almost burned you back at Kyoshi Island! But we fought them off. We did it together, Suki! As One! So, just- Why?!"

"Because we lost, Sokka." Suki replied simply, sadly. And the other Kyoshi Warriors added to the story with soft voices.

"We got inspired by you and Aang and Katara, so we left the island to swear our allegiance to the Earth King..."

"But we ran into Khan early on in our journey."

"At the time, he was burning down some Earth Kingdom villages in the South-Western Front."

"So, we thought that if we could present his head to the Earth King and we'd be praised as heroes!"

"We did our best, but instead..."

"We lost, and we lost hard." Suki finished and all the Kyoshi warriors had downcast looks, "Khan took us prisoner. Then he... compelled us to fight for him. We've been fighting for him ever since."

"But you're all here now, aren't you?" Sokka said with a hesitant but hopeful smile, "Come back to our side, we can stop the Fire Nation together! We can stop this Khan guy! Together!"

He extended his hand to her.

Suki glanced at it, but shook her head and smiled sadly, "There's no stopping Khan. You just can't. The most we can do- the most anyone can do now is to make this war less costly. If a protracted siege happens... it isn't going to stay protracted. With luck, Princess Yue here will help convince Agna Qel'a to surrender quickly, and for everyone's sakes, it should. Then Khan can manage the Agna Qel'a, get it back to its feet under Fire Nation rule, and everything'll be alright."

His hand fell back to his side, clenched into a fist. That little hope was replaced with rage. He didn't know why, but hearing the person who trained him talk about Fire Nation rule so optimistically made him angry. So angry.

"So, the rumours were true." He said through gritted teeth, that anger in him rising fast, "You're the reason why the Earth Kingdom fortresses were getting conquered so fast across the entire western half of the Earth Kingdom! And you did it willingly?!"

"Of course!" Suki insisted, "Don't you understand that we're trying to save your lives here?!"

"By siding with the Fire Nation?! By helping them conquer the Earth Kingdom?!" He demanded, then gestured to the still paralyzed princess in their clutches, "By kidnapping Princess Yue?!"

"Yes!" Suki shouted, "Every step of the way, we tried to take down Earth Kingdom fortresses as quickly and quietly as we could! So that they can be convinced to surrender instead of long, painful sieges that would inflict more suffering and consume even more lives! We've helped Khan reorganise towns to take care of its people better, and in the process, even tried to get prisoners and displaced villagers to be treated fairly!"

"Are you even hearing yourself now, Suki?!" Sokka shouted right back, "How can making the Fire Nation win this war faster be helping?!"

"What part of 'saving what lives we can' do you not understand?!"

"The part where you're siding with the people endingthem!"

"Because we can't stop them, Sokka!" Suki said, "You haven't seen what we've seen; but if you did, you'd know that there's no stopping the Fire Nation, and there's no stopping Khan! Especially here in the North Pole! All we can hope for is to end this quickly and this war less costly in lives and loss!"

"And you just gave up, just like that?! Huh, Suki?!" Sokka countered. "What would Avatar Kyoshi think of her warriors giving up that-"

The razor sharp edge of a blade held to his throat and he was face-to-face with a furious Suki.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" She glared at him, and her knife was so close to his neck that he could feel the chill wafting off the metal, "Don't you dare invoke Her name! We fought with everything we had, okay?! With every weapon in our arsenal! And every trick up our sleeves! We threw everything we had at him on our best day and it still wasn't enough! Even after we became prisoners of war, we still tried again! And even then, we failed! We got fought back into a corner where we stood to lose more than just our lives then- the Kyoshi Warrior name would have been stained black for all time if it wasn't for our sacrifice! So, don't you dare say that we 'just gave up!'"

A silence fell between them as he failed to say anything.

Finally, she let go of him, and stepped away. Turning her back to him, she looked up to the night sky- snowflakes coating her red hair- and exhaled a deep, shuddering sigh, "If Khan was less of a man than he was, I'd be- We'd be..."

Her sisters crowded around her, rubbing her back and whispering. They sent apologetic nods to him, adding context.

"Sokka, what Suki's trying to say is that Khan treats us well..."

"Much better than most other Fire Nation officers would have."

"And much more than he ever needed to be actually."

"You don't know how close we got to ending someplace..."

"...without much dignity."

Sokka didn't know what that meant, nor did Suki give him time to think about it as she spoke.

"It doesn't matter anymore." she shook her head. "The choices we've made and the things we've done, for better or worse, have set us down this path. We've crossed a lot of lines, Sokka. And now, there's no turning back. Especially here."

The Kyoshi Warriors, clad in the ceremonial dark green kimonos, nodded with each other. Their faces, usually impassive behind their traditional makeup, were stony like statues.

"You've made your choice, huh, Suki?" He responded, steeling himself for what he knew was about to come.

"Destiny has made that choice for us." Suki's grip on her katana tightened, and her voice carried the weight of decisions that Sokka knew were going to be irreversible. "That loud honk you've heard wasn't just a signal to attack, it also meant that Chieftain Arnook refused to sign the surrender that the Fire Lord offered. We, and the rest of the 41st Division have no other choice but to fight and see this through. Taking Princess Yue will help end it quicker, maybe even give the city a second chance to surrender."

"No one's going to take the princess." Sokka stated, raising his boomerang- the polished metal almost a bright silver under the moonlight. "No one. Not even you, Suki."

"Just walk away, Sokka." She said, almost pleadingly as her ocean blue eyes barely glanced at the weapon he brandished against her then to the coastal wall, "Things have already been set into motion, and it's all over now. You don't have to fight anymore, you know? It doesn't make you any less of a warrior to recognise that the best thing you can do is live another day."

"I'll do what I have to, Suki!" He shouted back, his mittened hands gripping his boomerang tighter, "So let Yue go!"

"Sokka..." Suki muttered sadly, and yet, the quiet rasp of steel still rang out- she had unsheathed her katana, "... Don't make me do this."

"Nng! Nnnngg!" Princess Yue continued to grunt wordlessly, but the ice blue of her eyes were telling him to leave her behind and save himself.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, not even sure if he was talking to Yue or Suki anymore, "But I have to try."

"Raaaagh!" He charged at Suki, footsteps stomping quickly as he swung at the girl who was just watching him with sad ocean blue eyes. She didn't move- not an inch- even as the blade of his boomerang arced towards her painted face. And for the briefest flicker of a moment, his arms faltered. But still, he managed to follow through with his strike...

"You hesitated, Sokka."

... and he hit nothing but air.

"Gagh!" He grunted as he collapsed to the ground- chin grinding against ice and snow as all the strength in one of his legs was all gone now. Then the pain bit into his thigh. Deep and sharp. His hand's shooting down to clutch his now bleeding leg. The red, already soaking through the blue of his parka. How- when did she cut him?

"Nng! Nnnng! NNG!" Princess Yue grunted, still motionless in the clutches of the Kyoshi Warriors as they all watched on.

A shadow loomed over him, followed by the cheek of a freezing cold blade tilting his chin up to make him look at Suki's pale-painted face framed by the moon.

"And hesitation is death." She finished solemnly, "Consider this as my last lesson to you as an Honorary Kyoshi Warrior..."

Teeth gritted, Sokka resolved to look Suki right in her ocean blue eyes as she looked down on him.

"... And sparing your life, my final act of friendship."

The razor-sharp blade edge disappeared from under his chin, and her katana clicked shut as it was sheathed. "That cut won't kill you if you start bandaging it now." She said softly, dropping a roll of bandages that crunched softly in the snow in front of him. "But it's enough to keep you from the fight- long enough for all this to be over... This is goodbye, Sokka. It was an honour."

In her customary Kyoshi Warrior regalia, she bowed to him, deep and respectful, just as how they usually did whenever she finished teaching him back in Kyoshi Island and right before they went out for a meal or a snack. Back in warmer days, back in happier days... Then Suki turned around and began walking away.

"Let's go, sisters." She whispered as she passed them by.

"Dammit, Suki!" Sokka grunted, trying to stand up- only to stumble to the ground every time. His blood freezing on the snowy street as he shouted, "Come back here! I'm not done with you!"

The other Kyoshi Warriors stayed behind to look at him with pity in their eyes, and with pitying voices, they spoke to him.

"She just saved your life, Sokka."

"Yeah, pretty sure you'd follow us if you could... You're a good man like that. So it's better this way."

"Please don't blame yourself either- it isn't your fault. Aang just came back too late to save the Four Nations."

"And we'll make sure that Princess Yue is treated okay. Don't worry. You might want to look for another girlfriend though."

"But... What's important is that you don't have to fight anymore. So please just live on. Your war is over now."

"Bye, Sokka." "Goodbye."

"Sokka, Goodbye." "Do we really... Bye, Sokka."

"Goodbye."

The Kyoshi Warriors turned away and dashed off, carrying Princess Yue with them- leaving him lying on the snowy sidewalk.

No.

That's not all he could do!

He could- will- keep going. He had to, because that's what a man does. With bloody fingers, he grabbed the roll of bandages, gritted his teeth in the snow- snowflakes stinging fell on his open wound before he bound it as tightly as he could.

"Appa!" He grunted the name as he picked up his weapon and pushed himself to his feet. "Gonna need Appa if I'm going to catch up with them!"

Wincing as he tested his bad leg, Sokka began the long limp to the stables.

His war wasn't over, not yet. Not by a long shot.

[Agna Qel'a Stables]

The snow was falling even harder now, as if the arctic night sky itself was crying for the city under attack.

"I hope Sokka's okay." Katara panted, her breath forming a frosty mist and under her shoes crunching snow as she climbed up the steps to the stables where they had left Appa.

It wasn't a big place- just long rows of ice pens housing the animals that the hunters used to venture out into the arctic tundras. The reek of frightened animals stewing in their stables wafted in the cold air: the arctic camels whinnying nervously from the sounds of distant fighting, and the buffalo-yaks that looked like they were about to bolt the moment they were let out their pens. It reminded her too much of the rest of the city now that it was under attack: Ordinary people suddenly caught in the middle of the brought back unpleasant memories of what it was like in the South Pole.

But thankfully, Aang was there. A blur of yellow and orange robes as he breezed past her.

"I'm sure he's fine, Katara!" His voice floated back to her, tinged with that optimism that Katara wished she had right now. "You know that Sokka sneaks out to the wall with Princess Yue every night. And the wall looks like one of the places the Fire Nation isn't attacking, including here! They're probably just stuck there. So, all we gotta do now is fly on over and pick 'em up. Right, Appa?"

"Rawr!" Appa responded with a reassuring grunt as Aang led him out of his pen- shaking and airing out his fur to get resaddled.

"Well, we better get to him soon." Katara muttered as she helped Aang drape the saddle pad on Appa. "Call it a sister's intuition, but I have a bad feeling."

"We'll find him, Katara." Aang smiled, "You know how Sokka is. He probably already has a plan on how to beat back the Fire Nation!"

"Yeah, let's hope so..." Katara muttered as she pulled the hood up on her blue parka- less to keep the snow out of her hair and more to try and drown out the honking sounds. She was just tying the reins to Appa's horns when another sound reached her ears though, one that came from much closer: The metallic rattle of chains.

"Katara! We have company!" Aang shouted as he landed beside her, his staff at the ready and a fierce look on his face.

Katara whipped around, already sliding into a waterbending form. The snow around her feet turned into a coiled water whip, ready to strike... only to falter a bit as she actually spotted who they were facing.

Looming at the stable gate like something out of a nightmare, a huge shadow stood, framed by the flickering orange glow of distant fires. Larger than any man she had ever seen before, wearing spiked red armour that looked as thick as those tundra tanks. The skull-faced helmet he wore made his gaze look as if he had climbed out of the Underworld, just like a vengeful spirit. Green eyes stared them down through the skull's eye holes- not just angry or cruel, but burning with a fierce, unsettling intensity. Glowing with it actually.

Katara instantly knew in her rapidly beating heart who this was, the rumours that followed them all throughout their long journey to the North Pole didn't do him justice.

"You..." she stammered, "You're the Giant of the Fire Nation!"

Aang did a double-take, "The ten-foot-tall evil commander guy is real?"

No Fire Nation soldier that they had come across before looked like him. They were tough-looking like Zhao, or mean-looking like Zuko, but never scary. Not like this. The 'Giant' looked like what her nightmares always portrayed the Fire Lord to be: Everything that was wrong and evil about this war. Every brutal act of violence and every meaningless atrocity, all condensed in a single person. A living embodiment of the Fire Nation itself. Larger than life, clad in forged steel, armed for war, and standing right in front of them as if to announce in no uncertain terms one thing.

'The Fire Nation has come.'

Katara gulped. There was only one explanation why he was here, likely for the same reason every other Fire Nation nipped at their heels everywhere they went.

"You're not taking Aang!" She shouted, raising her shaking hands higher.

The Giant did not answer, but Katara could feel his gaze on her water whip and to Aang's staff. Then he did the one thing that she'd never expect him to do...

He backed away.

That massive armoured figure just backed away from the stable entrance and ran- disappearing into the night and leaving nothing but the howling of the winter wind and the distant clashes of battle.

"W-what?" Katara couldn't believe her eyes, and neither did Aang.

"Did we... actually scare him off?" He asked, lowering his staff, "That's never worked before. What do you think that was all about anyway?"

"I don't know, but let's not stick around to find out." Katara said back, still eyeing the stable gates as she climbed on their bison.

"Right." he followed behind her, settling on Appa's head with reins in hand, "Alright, buddy. Let's go find Sokka and Princess Yue. Yip yip!"

"Rawr!" Appa grunted in acknowledgement, before pushing off up into the air.

Katara held the saddle tight as they did.

They were barely away from the stables when the rattle of chains rang out again. And a great big metal ball shot through the air to strike their bison on his side.

"RAWR!" Appa howled in pain as the force of the impact sent them spiralling out of control.

Katara barely had time to scream too before they crashed through the roof of a nearby building, Appa's bulk carrying enough momentum for them to smash right through it before rolling onto the courtyard below. Dazed and struggling to catch her breath, Katara struggled to bend away the shattered ice and snow. Her heart pounded in her chest as she scrambled to her feet, still dizzy as she groaned, "Aang? Appa?"

"Katara! Are you alright?" She heard Aang's voice ask her as she felt his gentle hands hold her steady. Blinking, she saw his grey eyes looking at her with concern.

"I'm okay, I think." She nodded.

A low, pained groan rumbled out.

"Appa!" Aang cried out as he bolted to the bison's side.

Appa was struggling to get up, and failing to do so. Katara's heart sank at the sight as she rushed to his side. The trembling limp on the middle leg of his left flank was evidence of where the weapon hit him. She laid her hands on Appa's side, her waterbending instincts kicking in to soothe and to heal.

But there was no time, a deep rumbling voice of the one responsible echoed from the shadows.

"Now we can make proper introductions."

The ominous sound of footsteps approached, heavy and deliberate over the icy streets of Agna Qel'a, resonating with a dread that chilled her to the bone. She looked up to see the towering figure of the Giant, emerging from the shadows just like he did before. Into the light, and much clearer now, she could see each individual spike of his red and black armour as they glinted in the moonlight.

'He didn't actually retreat.' Katara realised, 'He only waited until our guard was down before he attacked. From our blind spot too!'

"I am Khan." The Giant introduced himself, his calm demeanor belying the threat in his words. "And by the blazing authority of Fire Lord Ozai, I am the appointed Commander of the 41st Division. I am also the Fire Nation officer in charge of searing away every last feeble drop of Northern Water Tribe resistance from the North Pole."

Through the dark eye holes of that skull helmet, burning green eyes fixed on them with an intensity that left no doubt of his intentions with the city. With them.

"It is nice to finally meet you, Avatar Aang."