[Avatar: TLA] On the Fields of Discord

Kaumei looked up to see a man approaching her. He began to speak, and she was thrilled he hadn't recognized her, but then the whole temple shook. She stood from where she was and listened to the announcements. She turned back to the man who had approached her. "I guess this is it." She said. "I hope that after this, we may make a proper introduction." She offered a smile, then headed off towards the slope mentioned in the announcement. She was ready for this! She'd come all this way to help these people, and she was feeling braver now than ever. Princess or not, she would become a warrior today. As she walked she saw some of the people from her tribe walking the same way, so she replaced her hood for the battle. No need for people to make a scene about her being here.
 
Iseul got to her feet and headed for the causeway, each step taken as if someone else was moving her. She hated the idea of having to fight off the Earth Army—no, she loathed it—but she couldn't just stand by and remain an observer. There were a lot of innocent people whose lives were ruined or taken because of the war, a war which had lasted too long and caused too much damage. As far as Iseul was concerned both sides of the war were equally treacherous and horrible, but that only gave her all the more reason to help those who had nothing to do with it.
 
Haru followed the group of benders and other fighters out side the temple. A head of him he heard gasps from each new person got a view from the top of the mountain. As he exited the Temple he too gasped.


A head of him, rumbling towards the mountain side, was an armada of Earth Kingdom tanks. They were long snake like things that were powered by earth bending. Air, fire, water, and even a few earth benders where already attacking these tanks, but the strong defense of earthbenders was standing strong. Large surface-to-surface rocks were being fired from the rear. Some directed to wards the defensive army at the foot of the mountain and some sent hurtling up at the temple. They were still to far away so none of the rocks directed at the temple hit.


Haru was directed to a position along the causeway in between two air benders. He stood there and watched the battle unfold beneath him. All he could do now is wait and see if the earth army made it to the slopes.
 
Kuka, being the natural fighter that he was, jumped into action. Without a weapon in hand, he raced towards the benders that were preparing for combat. He did not need bending to overcome his opponents. Only his fists and his wit. More importantly, his fists. Darem on the other hand had resolved to remain as far away from the combat as possible. In the heat of the battle, he could easily use a technique from his water-bending studies in self defense. Or, worse, could utilize the avatar state without meaning to. Both possibilities were eminent, and Darem had to avoid them at all costs.


Kuka decided to follow the soldiers towards the causeway, noticing that that was the location that all of the able-bodied men and women were yelling about. The sound of despair and anger was enough; Kuka was going the right direction.
 
~Northern Air Temple~


Soon waited until the last of their available fighters were out of the room, and after forming an overhanded arc with her arms, unleashed a jet of air into the locking mechanisms of the massive door. The pipes around the entrance began to whistle with the force of her bending and the metal began creaking shut, culminating in a great slam. Satisfied that the way was shut behind her, she moved off toward the edge of the mountain to see what was what down below.


The Earth Kingdom tanks were below the cloud cover, and she couldn't but hear them. But she certainly saw what came next. Earthbenders came up the mountainside, bending their own platforms up toward the defenders. The mountain had a narrow path that had been blocked off, but the earthbenders didn't need a path. Unfortunately for the defenders, the Earth King's armies could make their own. Damn it! What could they want up here?


"Airbenders, off the cliff and knock them down! You, firebender! I need you to hold the door! Don't let any of them get near it! Anyone else, swing at anything wearing a green uniform!" Soon shouted orders shrilly at the others, trying as best she could to take charge of her temple's defences. The elders hadn't come out, probably to form a last line of defence inside, so she decided to take care of business herself.


She and the other airbenders commenced their manoeuvres, leaping to the edge and simultaneously lancing torrents of air downward, blasting several earthbenders off the face of the mountain. However, more were on their way and they burst past the Nomads and onto the top to continue the attack.
 
Kaumei raced to the slope in time to hear orders coming from a young female monk. She nodded to herself under her hood and pulled the water out of the pouch at her side, bending it into a whip which she used to knock back the invaders. She didn't want to kill anyone, just defend the mountain. She saw that some of the Earthbenders had made it past their initial defences, and she raced over to stop them, creating a huge wave that knocked them back over the edges.
 
Haruki went to where the monk had directed him. His opinion of her was growing immensely being able to stay calm and direct a defense with little sleep was impressive of one so young. She was an Air Nomad though, they are carefree but very capable people. As he approached the door Haru noticed the older air bender he had talked to. He seemed to be hanging back from the rest of the group. "I have been instructed to hold the door" Haru said. "Would you mind helping me? Fire and air work well together. With you're air blasts you can fuel my flame, with my heat control I can increase the pressure of your air blasts. Pressure and temperature are directly related after all. My name is Haruki by the way."


The hardest part of this battle for Haru would be keeping his identity hidden. The Dancing Dragon form he was use to using was very circular and graceful compared to modern firebending. Haru had practiced incorporating the Dancing Dragon into modern bending styles. Hopefully only a firebender would notice the difference. If it came down to it Haru would have to abandon subtlety if he wanted to protect the temple. Modern firebending was not as defensive and efficient as the methods used by the Sun Warriors. With the help of an airbender though, his chances would be better.
 
Kuka raced towards the fray, looking for whatever weapon he could use against his enemies. A chair leg? No, no. That walking stick? No, that man probably needs that. Before long, Kuka finally ran into a small room, just on the edge of his vision. A few soldiers were running in and out of it, making Kuka most curious. Steadily running towards it, he discovered what was inside; weapons. It was an armory! What luck! Kuka thought. He leapt forward, searching for a weapon that he could use. Although he never really used a weapon before, he decided that he wanted to learn now. Gingerly grabbing a nearby pole-arm, he twirled it around a bit, barely missing a fellow soldiers head, and decided to run out with it, the tip pointing outwards. Nearby civilians flinched slightly as he came near, not wanting to get skewered by the poorly-held weapon.


Darem backed away from the storm of soldiers, instead moving towards the unsettled civilians that were running wild. Trying to calm them down, Darem held up his hands, showing that he meant no harm. A few of them began settling, now standing still or slouching against nearby walls, and some continued to run amok, grabbing their children and stealing whatever they can from their neighbors. Trying to catch their attention, Darem began yelling and directing individuals towards the center of the room, but they did not comply.


With every attempt that Darem made, the more unsettled that he became. People raced past him, bumping into him. Shoving him. A few even scoffed at his attempt to give them order. At his misery, a few laughed, knowing too well the self control that the Air Nomads show day in and day out. But Darem was getting frustrated. Angry. He placed his hands out again, trying to calm the mad storm of refugees. As another man brushed into him again, Darem snapped. In a rage, he spun tightly, sending a whirl of wind in nearly every direction. He cried out; "ENOUGH!" Silence quickly covered the area as scared civilians looked upon the Air-Bender with fear. Some even cowered. Darem sighed, knowing too well how he let his anger get the better of him. But he had their attention, which was good enough.


"Running around in fear will not help matters, people." Darem said, trying to seem as sympathetic as he could. "Please, make your way towards the main hall and find a location to rest. The soldiers outside are handling things as best as they can. They only way that you can help them is if you stay. Calm." The civilians immediately began to look amongst themselves, murmuring and standing up as they did so. Slowly, but surely, they began to move towards the main hall. Few instead scoffed and turned their backs on Darem, but the Air-Nomad had done well. There was at least some order in the main hall now. However, the same could not be said about the rest of the temple. He looked around to see where else he could help.
 
~Northern Air Temple~


A few airbenders made an offensive on their gliders, diving down the cliff to support the Water Tribe warriors at the bottom of the mountain. Meanwhile, Soon and the others darted and dodged, doing their best to tire out the earthbenders who were trying to breach the temple walls. Soon herself formed a large air spout beneath her feet, her robes and hair flapping wildly about her body as she tossed rocks aside with the force of her mighty air currents. A number of airbenders shot around her, using her bending to propel themselves and their wind blades at the enemy, cutting through rock shields and interfering with the projectiles being launched at the temple.


A pair of earthbenders broke through the defenders to reach the door and confronted Haruki. They knocked away two airbenders who attempted to help, and raised short walls that they propelled at the lone firebender.


A non-bending soldier with a warhammer, having ridden up with the earthbenders, took up a position against a Water Tribe man who was clumsily holding a polearm. Thinking the man an untrained peasant, he came in fast with an underhanded swing of his hammer.
 
Another airbender came to help Haruki. He was relieved for that. Before he could organize anything though a stone piller shot out of the ground sending one bender flying. The other bender got a rock to the head and flew backwards, splatterign onto the temple wall. He was quite dead. Seeing this ignited a flame of rage in Haru. As two short wall of stone were shot at Haruki he jumped, shooting a blast of fire out of one foot that caused him to go higher, turn sideways in the air, and spin. As he completed a 360 over the walls he kicked two fire blasts at one of the earthbenders. He was caught off gaurd and stumbled backwards as his robe caught on fire. As Haru landed he charged a powerful fire blast in each hand and shot one at each earthbender. The first earthbender, already off balance, took it in the chest and was sent flying backwards. He hit the ground and did not stand back up. The second earthbender had time to put up a wall and block the blast. With four punches he sent the wall flying at Haru in four sections. With two quick fire jabs the first projectile was destroyed. Haru then used a dancing dragon movement to dodge the second slab and partly dodge and deflect the third slab. With a spining side kick acompanied with a fire blast he destroyed the last rock. Haru kept his spining momentum going and spun again while creating a fire blade. As he completed his turn he shot the blade forward and through the chest of the charging earthbender. The earthbender fell to the ground and writhed in pain clutching his chest. There was no blood because the wound had been cauterized at the same time. There was internal bleeding though. The warrior slowly stopped rolling and died.


"I killed them" Haru said outloud. He had never killed someone before. "Someone had to die." he told himself. "That is the only result of war." Haru managed to keep his compusure. The first warrior Haru had killed was still burning. The smell of burning flesh reached Haru. The thought of holding the temple doors worried Haruki. Two men he handle efficiently this time, but what if a large group came at once. Haru though he could handle many warriors, but he would tire much quicker. Help would be nice but Haru was determined to hold his position till the end.
 
Kaumei pushed the last of the Earthbenders who'd passed their defenses back over the ledge. She didn't think they'd be coming back, at least not this way. She saw a firebender defending another area who looked like he could use some help. Realizing it was the man from earlier, Kaumei ran over to his aid. "Hey," she half called to him. "You holding out okay?"


((Sorry for such a short post ;A; ))
 
((No worries. I'm probably going to wrap this up soon and have us move on, since Angel is currently short of posting time and said she can cover her part in retrospect if need be.))
 
"Help would be much appreciated. As long as you are not needed elsewhere I will gladly fight by you." Haru responded to the waterbender. She was the same one he had seen before. A stupid joke about steaming things up came into Haru's head, but he decided it was not the right time to say something so stupid.


A group of seven broke through this time. Haru decided to use a bit more energy and threw up a wall of flame. He used a bit of dancing dragon, circling his arms in order to make the wall fall on the Earth warriors like a wave. Three non benders were swept away by the flames but four more charged at them.
 
~Northern Air Temple~


Soon ploughed through, riding an air wheel into the non-bending soldiers by the door, these being the largest group that was left. There were only a few Earth Kingdom soldiers still fighting in isolated areas; the rest had fled back down the mountainside, having not expected to meet such stiff resistance on their first foray against the temple. Soon dispersed her air currents and landed lightly on her feet near the firebender and his new companion from the Water Tribe.


"I think that about settles that. You two alright?"
 
Kaumei knocked the last few Earthbenders away from the two of them with a whip-like stream of water. They landed, unconscious, quite a few yards away. Soon another girl joined them and asked if they were okay. Keeping silent, Kaumei nodded to the girl under her hood. It looked like the Earthbenders had all been knocked out, killed, or had withdrawn from their attack.
 
The airbender spoke to Haruki but the words drifted over him. He stared off into space, glad the fighting had ended so soon. However, he was still worried. "There must be a large force prepared for war at the bottom of the mountain. We are not safe yet.". Haruki said partly to himself and partly to anyone who listened. Haru shook his head and came back down to earth.


"We are still alive. I'm not hurt, my nerves are just a bit shaken." Haruki replied. "This is my second meeting with both of you and we are still not introduced. My name is Haruki."
 
The firebender had introduced himself, and it was only good manners to do the same. Kaumei removed her hood, hoping maybe that no one would recognize her. She absolutely did NOT want to get shipped back to her father in the Northern Water Tribe. "My name is Kaumei." She said. Hopefully that would be enough information, and she waited for the airbender to introduce herself as well.
 
((I apologize for being absent—issues came up IRL, and I've been dealing with them as best I can, but it's left me with little time to get online. I've been able to keep up with posts, though, so at least there's that.))


Iseul remained where she was when the fighting ended, beside a dying Earth soldier who got a large shard of stone shot into his ribs from an attack deflected by an air bender. In the beginning she had only immobilized soldiers who made it up with chi blocking, not only to keep them from hurting anyone but to force them to have to be carried to safety by their comrades. As the last of the soldiers retreated, though, Iseul noticed one left behind, too far beyond saving to be carried back to the Earth Army's encampment.


Silently, Iseul sat down beside the soldier and placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to be comforting. He looked up at her, expression caught between grateful and confused. Several times he tried to move his lips to speak, only for blood to get in the way. When he was able to say something, it was only one word, spluttered and weak, "W-why?"


The young woman looked at him for a moment before answering, feeling saddened that even in dying moments the war cast a shadow of doubt over acts of humanity. "My father told me once, when I was young, that our responsibility to family extended to those who the family interacted with. A Hong Liu sent you here, so a Hong Liu will see you off." The soldier's eyes widened a bit, but he remained silent and, perhaps just slightly, relaxed a bit beside her. After a few moments of silence, the soldier stopped breathing and left Iseul alone among the rubble of the battle.
 
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