One Leap Toward Greatness

It is a rainy day, and it is chilly outside. It is 5.5 Celsius (42 Degrees). The sky is turquoise. Ozai stands out in the rain a few feet across Eyre. Ozai: "So what is the drill?"

Eyre answers, "Everything, we are going to go through every aspect of physical fitness. I am going to push you to your breaking point until physical excellence becomes your standard."

Ozai: "My breaking point? You realize when I was in the royal boy's academy I passed the physical tests with flying colors."

Eyre: "You did, but you always did what was required of you. You never put in extra work unless you were competing with your brother."

Ozai: "Because I don't need to. Not even for him." The second statement was an expression of Ozai's insecurity. During his younger days Iroh was the only one who could rival him.

Eyre: "That may be, but if you regularly test your limits, you will be even better mentally than when you faced Aang. You will need every advantage you can get this time to improve your outcome."

Ozai: "Why do you think that? I almost beat Aang while hardly taking him seriously due to his age. Next time, I will demolish him."

Eyre exhales, "Can you please try to be humble?"

Ozai: "Humility is for the weak."

Eyre: "So we're going to start with a run. You will notice there is a trail, it spans about three miles. I want you to run it in 20 minutes."

Ozai scratches his head, "What? The military standard is 30 minutes. And I'm a bender, I don't need to..."

Eyre: "I don't care. This is about mental discipline and it being in shape can make a difference in a fight. In how you manage fatigue and how you do everything."

Ozai: "But I haven't been running."

Eyre: "Nonsense, no excuses. Begin!" Ozai sighs and starts running. When he returns he is heavily huffing and puffing. Eyre looks at his watch, "Oh no that was 32 minutes, do it again!"

Ozai: "Can I get a break for 15 minutes?"

Eyre: "Fine." Ozai strolls around to look for somewhere to sit during his break. Eyre watches him in the distance.

Ozai: "Um, shoo! I will be back in..." Eyre steps a few feet back and still watches Ozai. Ozai: "Seriously can you move a little further." Eyre steps another two feet back and keeps looking at the noble. Ozai: "You got to be..."

Two troopers jogging notice Ozai. Remnant Trooper: "Ozai! Sir!" The soldiers salute as they jog and Ozai does the same while sitting on a tree stump.

Eyre: "See, you have men counting on you. So don't be lazy. Meet the goal." Ozai runs again this time in 27 minutes. Eyre: "Nope, not fast enough. Run again!" Ozai runs again but this time in 29 minutes. Eyre: "Pathetic! Don't waste my time! You claim you're the best prove it, I want results!"

Eyre makes Ozai run again this time he manages 26 minutes. Eyre sarcastically comments, "Well, that's a mild improvement, keep it up and you'll still be running all day." Ozai starts angrily mumbling. Eyre: "Oh that upsets you, good. Use it as fuel to complete your task." Ozai runs again but as he is running he slips in the mud half way through his run. Ozai spits dirt out of his mouth and wipes his face.

A Remnant trooper jogging shouts, "Ozai, get you butt back up! Come on!" Ozai exhales then rises to his feet and continues his run.

Another Remnant soldier watching replies, "Yeah, that's it." Ozai runs again, only managing 25 minutes.

Eyre: "Keep going until you can consistently make 20." Ozai has a massive urge to slap Eyre, fortunately for the General, Ozai knows his bending powers are not restored. So Ozai wouldn't win that fight at the moment. Ozai runs again, this time making 22 minutes. Ozai sits on the floor.

Eyre: "Get up, you're not finished yet. You got better but still need some work."

Ozai moans, "Not now."

Eyre: "Come on." Ozai lays on the ground.

Ozai lazily groans, "Ohhhhhhhh."

Eyre: "Get up!"

Ozai: "Do you enjoy this?"

Eyre: "I said get up! Stop acting like a spoiled royal. How can you expect to inspire these men unless you're willing to go through the drills just like them?"

Ozai looks at himself on the ground, "Well I am getting down and dirty like them."

Eyre: "Imagine if your children saw this. Would they be proud?"

Ozai: "What does that matter?"

Eyre: "Come on, what do you think Azula would say right now if she saw you?" Ozai imagines Azula verbally roasting him and Zuko teasing him as well.

Ozai nods and gets up, "Alright but Zuko couldn't do any better." Ozai imagines Azula would have excelled at the tasks at hand. Ozai: "And Azula even with all her talents cannot match my raw people."

Eyre: "Couldn't when you were bending. Now you aren't. Now you have nothing to offer either of them."

Ozai points at Eyre, "Hey you WATCH IT! I still have tons to offer."

Eyre asks, "Like what?"

Ozai crosses his arms, "I don't feel like explaining it."

Eyre: "Emm hmm. Anyway, if you crush these drills, you can offer them your work ethic in addition to whatever else you have in mind."

Ozai: "Everyone believes they can talk to me any type of way. The minute I get my powers back, or you'll be kissing my feet again. All of you will."

Eyre: "Don't take it personally this is how I train."

Ozai: "Then you will modify how you train for my sake."

Eyre: "Then it will no longer be effective. My methods are proven. Do you want to be deemed worthy by your ancestors or not?" Though Eyre says this and Ozai believes it, these spirits they talked to may or may not truly be their ancestors. They could simply be familiar spirits with divine powers who may be playing their own game.

Ozai: "Fine."

Eyre: "We will train outside." Ozai performs situps, jumping jacks, pull ups, lifts weights, weighted squats, lunges, and leg flutters.

Ozai struggles to breath as Eyre comments, "Continue to push yourself! I'm going to need you to dig deep. Think of what you want the most, you have to work to get it. Pain is the prerequisite to victory." Ozai performs a series of push ups and quickly collapses in the mud.

Eyre: "Look at you lying there defeated. Keep it up and it'll become a common habit. Remember this position, it is the position you were in when the Avatar bested you. When he took your throne out of your hands. Now remember when you were young and on the rise. Before you first took the throne. Remember how you trained so diligently and how you fought until you got all that you wanted."

Ozai: "It was so easy then, the training at least. My greatest challenge was containing my ambition until the moment came that I got what I wanted."

Eyre: "And new challenges will arise, but you must be strong if you wish to face them all. Sometimes adversity means humiliation and you must stand above it and see the areas in yourself that need improvement." Ozai lowers his head in shame.

He then raises it again, "You're right. I will rise back, far stronger than before! And then, I will have my revenge and I will rule my empire for the rest of my days. And if I fall short of this goal, I will make sure the Avatar loses just as much as I did for the pain, he caused me."

Eyre: "Then rise and finish your drills!" Ozai gets up and performs 50 pushups before resting. Eyre: "Again!" Ozai does 75 pushups. Eyre: "Again!" Ozai performs 62 pushups and loses his breath. Eyre: "We will return to this later." Ozai performs bearcrawls across an open field. Eyre made sure the field was clearly of rocks and twigs to avoid hurting Ozai's hands during the drill.

Eyre: "Good we'll stick to one lap for this, I've had a few troopers hurt themselves performing this drill." Ozai performs 15 pull ups before stopping. Eyre: "Not bad, my son could do 25 when he graduated."

Ozai groans, "I could do at least 20 when I wasn't taking it seriously before I lost my throne. Give me a second to get back into it." For the next few days Ozai continues his training regimen. He goes from lifting 25-pound bars to lifting 50-pound weights in a ridiculously short timeframe. He goes from benching two 25-pound bars, to using two 50-pound bars a couple of days later, by the end of the week he is benching two 100-pound bars.

Ozai continues his pushups, this time he does 100 of them. The royal's veins start popping out of his arms, his chest becomes bulgy, his calves become massive, his kneecaps expand, his shoulders broaden, and his neck veins even show. Ozai is eventually able to perform 150 pushups, he runs 3 miles in 16 minutes, he completes his drills in record time, and he starts performing full front and backflips on the mat.

Ozai has a build that is muscular but isn't so strong that is drastically reduces his speed and agility. Ozai uses his large leg muscles to run faster than normal people. Eyre: "Now that you are physically capable again, we need to make sure your combat skills are sharp." In the gym, a trooper punches Ozai in his stomach while he performs situps. While performing pushups, a man hits Ozai in his stomach with a wooden bat.

Ozai is able to perform 20 pullups with the bat. Each blow gives him a bit more motivation to push harder. Ozai starts performing pushups with objects on his back. Eyre gives Ozai 8 oz. boxing gloves and he pounds a punching bag several times. Ozai's punches are hard, explosive, and thuds can be heard every time he hits it. Ozai elbows the bag a couple of times as well.

Ozai starts thinking about everything he's lost and what he wants. He suddenly starts hitting the bag harder and harder. He thunderously pounds it twice, shaking the entire object. Other troopers that are hitting the bags stop and watch him.

Ozai follows up with four hefty left hooks. Ozai uppercuts the bag twice and pops it with a wide upper right hook which knocks the bag off its hinges. The chains propping it up snap as the bag hits the floor. The gym trainer shouts, "Hey! Now I'm going to have to fix that. You broke the chains, do you know how much that's going to cost?!"

Ozai glares at the trainer. Trainer: "On second thought, I needed a new one anyway. That thing was getting old." The trainer runs out of the room.

Eyre smiles, "Good, we want you to have well rounded fighting skills. Not just bending. While your bending is remarkable, each tool can make you deadlier during your fight against the Avatar." Ozai runs outside again and cuts down wood. Ozai swims across a pound and Eyre times him. The water is freezing, and Ozai has no firebending to warm him body with.

Because of this Eyre only makes him perform one lap to avoid freezing to death. As Ozai exists the water two troopers warm him up. Eyre: "When you regain your bending, we'll do this longer." Eyre has a man stand across Ozai in the gym as they both stand on a mat. Eyre: "I know you always were a great striker, but let's test your wrestling skills."

A taller, stronger, and larger man charges at Ozai. The man is 6 feet and 3 inches tall, he weighs 220 pounds, and the man has massive muscles. The man runs after Ozai and grabs a hold of his shoulders. Ozai braces himself, bends his knees, and stops the man in his tracks. The muscular opponent starts pushing and Ozai slowly slides back.

The man raises his left arm and tries to get Ozai in a chokehold. The royal ducks his head and latches his right arm around the man's neck. The meaty sparring partner pushes Ozai off him and the regal stumbles back two feet as the wrestler charges at him again. Ozai rotates his body and trips the man. The big man slams into the ground and rolls over. Eyre: "Not perfect wrestling but it will do."

Eyre has another drill where two smaller men take on Ozai at once. One man charges at his left flank and another at his right. Ozai shoves the left man against the floor. The other man wraps his arms around Ozai's lower stomach. Ozai lowers his arms and uses them as a buffer to break free. The ex-Firelord promptly tackles his enemy. The other man gets back up as he looks to finish Ozai.

Eyre: "Every action has consequences. Don't only strike for the immediate result but think of what comes after each initial hit." Ozai often didn't need to consider his attacks as much as other benders because his rage and genetic gifts made his attacks larger and more powerful than other firebenders. Ozai rolls right but the opponent pursues.

The man tries to grab swoop down on him but Ozai kicks his legs up at his opponent to back him up. Ozai flips back on his feet, lunges forward and grabs his enemy's arms, and the rogue father pushes his enemy against a wall. Ozai pounces on his enemy and grabs him by the legs. The troopers stretches his arms toward Ozai's neck but the Remnant icon pulls his legs up and slams him sideways into the floor.

Ozai pats his hands, "Next."

Eyre: "Oh, we're not done yet." Three men stand across Ozai with rubber throwing balls, the balls are red. There are five extra balls in the center of the room located on a line that is meant to seperate them from Ozai. Eyre: "Fire!" A man throws a ball at Ozai's face but he catches it and smacks the right ball away from him. A left ball hits him. Eyre yells, "Again!"

The front man throws his ball at Ozai's nose. Ozai spins right and another ball flies at his chest. Ozai catches the ball and smacks a third ball that glides toward his left eye. Ozai tosses the ball into the right trooper's lower right leg. The other two men charge toward the center balls. Usually, most skilled trainers would wait for their opponents to take the balls since they are outnumbered and play it defensively.

But Ozai is no coward, he believes the best offense is a good defense. While he has tweaked his style a bit, some things will never change. Ozai lunges at the center balls.. Eyre cautions, "Wait!" Ozai grabs two balls (the one in the center and center right) while a trooper grabs a ball on the far left and the other grabs the ball on the far right. The man on the left throws his ball at Ozai's left shoulder.

Ozai rotates his body and smacks the ball away. The other man hesitates to throw. Ozai takes a step back then horizontally whips his right ball into the man's right thigh. Ozai has one ball left and the last trooper stands calmly while facing him. Ozai smiles, "You've lost." Eyre says nothing, knowing such overconfidence can be a weakness.

Ozai: "Now you fall!" Ozai leaps in the air as he hurls his ball at the man's stomach. The trooper leaps forward in an attempt to catch the ball but the ball flies so fast that is pounds his chest as he runs into it. He stretches his arms out to grab it but his body stings from the hit and the ball flops out of his hands. The trooper falls to his knees a second later then collapses.

Ozai proudly stands, "I AM OZAI!! NONE ARE LIKE ME AND NONE WILL EVER MATCH MY FEROCITY! Your failure is but a taste of what's to come."

Eyre claps, "Well done. You are ready."

Ozai pumps his fists in the air, "Yes!"

More Than One Mission

Elsewhere, in the Fire Nation rural town Rasker, the sergeant Rakem looks at investigation papers in an intel office. On his wall is a list of Remnant base locations offered by informants. He is comparing that to what is on his desk which includes a string of characters under investigation and suspected for Ozai's rescue.

The sergeant has recently fell out of contact with one of his top spies right before Ozai was freed and he still hasn't heard from him in a while. This is a sign the people he was in contact with have a trace to this case. That was in the same camp as Alev and Hakon who died recently after his fight with Kanna Foloki.

Rakem lights a cigar with his fingertips and deeply inhales. He exhales shortly after blowing smoke across his room before laying down his cigar in an astray. As the smoke clears it reveals the location of Tesero which he circles with a red feather pen.

The next day, Rakem meets with an Intelligence Department local board. Three officers stand across in black uniforms. The leader of them is Captain Ujin. Ujin has dark brown curly hair, light yellow skin, a long nose, medium lips, and large ears. One officer on his right looks elderly with white straight hair and pale skin. The one on his left has black hair and a small nose seeming to only be in his early thirties which is young for such a position.

Ujin himself is in his upper forties. Ujin: "So Rakem, inform me about what you have discovered regarding the enemy."

Rakem: "I believe the enemies holding Ozai are in Tesero or at least a close link to them."

Ujin: "And why do you think that."

Rakem: "One of my star informants pointed out that Tesero has a moderately strong operation. One that has worked with less resistance and more ease than most of their locations. It is right outside of the city which is very pro-Remnant and Ozai Restoration. Since then, evidence has been found regarding its existence by undercover detectives."

Ujin: "Perhaps your feelings on this matter are cloudy."

Rakem: "Why would you think that?"

Ujin adds, "Is Alev not involved with the men who escaped the prison that was under your watch? Before you made an appeal to participate in this investigation you were chasing the men who were affiliated with them. Ronin and Kedo the escapers who once served in the 31st Company."

Rakem: "This isn't just about them, I assure you."

Ujin: "Unfortunately, your assurances are not enough reason for us to justify a raid."

Rakem: "We only have a short time to find Ozai before they try something. If they busted him out, they did it for a reason. He is impatient, he is relentless, he is bloodthirsty, and he is vengeful. Even without his bending, he is a dangerous man. So I ask you to compare your leads because right now you don't have any great ones on Ozai. If I'm wrong, then worst case scenario you break down a known hotbed for insurgency and if I'm right we take down the ultimate foe."

Fire Nation Officer: "It isn't just about Ozai or the Remnant base. If we take it down, it will only increase tensions with the town. Locals there are loyal to the Remnant. Many friends and family there might serve in it. For now, the Remnant have mainly been quiet and have laid low. That won't last if we bubble up tensions with the locals!"

Rakem: "Open your eyes, the tension will always be there and its lingering. It's only getting worse and worse like a cannon barrel ready to blow. With Ozai gone, with him liberated it'll only get worse. Now they have a purpose a reason to become active. We either strike now while they're down or we wait for them hit us when they're at their best. You decide but know that each choice comes with a consequence, including inaction."

SWARMING TESERO

On a bright and dreamy day few clouds obstruct the sky. A steady breeze flows, making it feel incredibly comfortable outside. Butterflies buzz across the fields and lady bugs crawl on trees. It is just 22.2 Celsius (72 Degrees) outside. Three Remnant troopers (one man and two women) work in a field wearing red non-combat uniforms.

Male Remnant Field Worker: "Well, it sure is a beautiful day. The fields are ripe as well. I wonder how it could get any better."

Female Remnant Field Worker 1 (rubs her hair): "Wait a minute, do you see that?"

Female Remnant Field Worker 2: "See what?"

Female Remnant Field Worker 1: "Soldiers in the city streets, they're NOT REMNANT!"

Female Remnant Field Worker 2: "Oh my goodness you're right. Not here, not now! We have to go, quickly get to command. Warn Captain Bundi!" The workers sprint toward command. Meanwhile multiple armored troops stand guard around the wooden extended cabins in Tesero.

Captain Bundi, a good friend and the former second-in-command of Colonel Hakon waits beside 1st Lieutenant Ardo. Bundi has long wavy black hair, thick yet short eyebrows, a goatee, big yet dense lips, yellow eyes, and light brown skin. Arbo has shiny caramel brown hair, fair skin, thin yet long eyebrows, small ears and a clean shaved face. Bundi: "Ugh, it's still not the same without him."

Ardo: "Come on Bundi enjoy the times. We've had a great harvest the last few days. The soldiers are happy, troops have been able to visit their families, and we had a great feast yesterday. Even bigger I just proposed to Syka a week ago. Life is good my friend, take it easy. One of our recent leaders was talking about trying something different, perhaps a political approach to form our own nation within the Fire Nation. One that honors our old values and doesn't put other cultures over us."

Bundi: "No our people need to be united, that's how we are strong. That's what Hakon would have wanted and Zuko would never allow us to break off. That selfish hog wants to drag us all into his game." The workers run up to them and soldiers guarding them look in confusion.

Female Field Worker 2: "We need your help!"

Bundi: "What is it?"

Male Field Worker: "Zuko's troopers their here, in the city."

Bundi: "No." A screeching noise starts and two rods of fire soar across the sky. As they come down and explode, they knock dirt, rocks, and dust everywhere. As it begins to subside no one is harmed by the caters lie mere feet away from the team. Bundi: "Expect more, SIGNAL THE ALARMS!!"

Ardo: "What now? What do you recommend we do?"

Bundi: "Ardo, I want you to lead the evacuation. Get the non-combat troops, medics, and wounded out of here. In the meantime, I'll gather a defense force to hold them off."

Ardo: "But SIR, LET ME HOLD THEM OFF! Let me! Your a higher rank, command needs you. They need leaders like you."

Bundi: "Command has too many divided leaders as it is."

Ardo: "That's more reason why they need you. They need someone with sense."

Bundi: "Then for now on I promote you to Captain. We are now an equal rank, go I've taught you everything I know already."

Ardo: "In that case, I'm staying with you. You no longer have command to order me gone!"

Bundi: "Ardo, you are a great man. A great soldier. And now you will be a great husband. Get the wounded out of here and then get yourself out of here. For your wife! For your family. I've seen too many 26 year olds buried, I won't allow one to be that just got married not can fight in your place. Be strong!"

Ardo grabs Bundi's hands and tears flow from his eyes. Ardo: "Sir! I love you, you are my brother!" Ardo hugs Bundi and Bundi pats him on the back. Bundi briefly sobs and pushes Ardo back.

Bundi: "Go Ardo! Wipe your tears, remain strong for your men! Their lives are now in your hands. I know you'll take great care of them." Ardo marches on wiping his eyes of tears and briefly gathering himself before he meets with a squad of troopers ahead of him. Ardo hears the bells rug and base alarms go off.

Remnant Trooper: "Sir, what are your orders?"

Ardo looks at the man squarely and with confidence, "First, we'll get the wounded out of here. Then I want to take the non-combatants out. After that, we'll create opportunities to get as many other troops out of this facility as possible. Ready the wagons, carriages, leopard-mules, and bear-rhinos. We have a lot of work to do in a little time."

Bundi and his troopers ready their weapons. Multiple soldiers grab spears and long rectangle shield gauntlets. Multiple firebenders stand behind those warriors. Bundi: "My friends, my brothers, we all knew this day would come! For years we've fought, labored, and dreamed together. Together we dreamed of a day our nation would unite the earth under its banner. That day never came."

Bundi continues, "But still we fight for the dream we were given, and we fight for the people that made us everything we are today. When leaders in office had a change in mindset, they decided to turn their backs on their countrymen and all they knew. It is because for THAT REASON that I fiercely fight for the Remnant now. Because I don't know how to leave my family behind, it just isn't in my blood." The troops laugh.

Bundi: "And that's why I won't quit now. Why I won't pack up. I've been with some of you men for over twenty years. Back out? Back out on what? Back out on family, it doesn't work like that not with us. While some people flake and abandon sides when they think they are losing, I fight for what I believe in, I fight on principle. While some people only fight for what's profitable or popular, I fight for what matters to me."

Bundi: "I'm not swayed, shifted, daunted, or fazed by the world around me. So, I just ask you all to be stones like me and stand your ground in the face of oppression. I ask you all to do what you signed up for to fight and give you lives if needed for what you love. If they tell the story of history, then if they lie there is nothing, we can do about that. Though the truth always comes out."

Bundi: "And when it does come out, don't let our enemies have the satisfaction of knowing we were cowards that they routed. Do not let the story come out that we surrendered as soon as things got tough. No! Let the story be known that we fought like warriors, that we fought with a purpose!" The men cheer. clang their swords, and stomp their shields as they prepare for one glorious last stand.

A stray artillery bolt hurls over and incinerates a shed. Another ball falls and obliterates five soldiers (three with shields and spears plus two firebenders). Hot clashing metal and heavy cries can be heard. Bundi: "Stand fast!" Bundi looks out across the battlefield and sees dozens of Fire Nation Army troopers advancing. The army soldiers are armed with swords, several have maces, and some are firebenders.

The army troopers have crimson red armor with black and grey markings. They are more spread out than the Remnant troopers who are in tight formation. The Remnant troopers have scarlet red-orange armor with coffee brown markings. Bundi holds his head up high, "Ready!!" The troopers prepare themselves.

Bundi: "March!" The troops proudly march toward their opponents. Bundi looks at the spear guards, "Steady! Steady men." The Army Troopers continue to close in. Bundi: "On my command!" In the distance army troopers with spears and dual swords begin to pour behind the other troopers. Bundi: "Charge!!"

A volley of spears are chucked across the battlefield. One spear glides through the skull of a army trooper. Another spear penetrates the neck of a swordsman. A mace trooper feels a shaft crash through his heart. The man glides back, choaking on his own blood. A firebender runs forward but is dispatched by a harpoon.

Multiple bodies of emerging Fire Nation soldiers tumble in the grass as they are struck down. Remnant guardians switch to short swords as they charge toward their opponents. A firebender punches a flame at a guardian but the trooper blocks the shot with his shield and closes the distance. The guardian vertically cuts the bender down.

A spear man charges at a guardian and swings but the warrior blocks the hit with his shield then swings it back, knocking the butt of the man's spear against his stomach. The army trooper falls and rolls over; the guardian rushes the troopers and impales him while he's down. Two remnant firebenders are blasted by a motor.

Army Archers begin to enter the battlefield. A Remnant firebender is shot in his neck by an arrow. A Remnant guardian horizontally hacks an army mace warrior but is then shot in his chest by an arrow. A Remnant firebender punches a flame into an incoming swordsman and kicks a flame into a mace warrior. A soldier with dual swords attempts to take him on but is quickly blasted across the battlefield by a ray of flames.

Captain Bundi charges into battle with a spear. Two Army swordsman chase after him. Bundi jumps and pulls his weapon left before he thrusts it into the left swordsman's abdomen. Bundi rips his spear out, flinging blood around and slams his spear into the other soldier's gut.

Bundi rips the blade out of his enemy's stomach and an firebender kicks a flame at his lower right leg. Bundi flips forward and lands closer to his opponent. The firebender rotates his right leg and kicks a whip of fire at his foe. Bundi leaps forward over the flames with a spinning side jump. As Bundi lands he rotates his body and inserts his weapon into the man's body.

Bundi pulls his spear back again as a swordsman charges at his left flank. The Remnant Captain sways his weapon and stabs his enemy. A warrior with dual swords rushes at Bundi but the captain rotates his blade right and slashes the man's throat. Blood gushes out as the corpse hits the ground.

An army firebender shouts across Bundi, "Why?! We are the same people!"

Bundi: "But we don't have the same values! You should of thought about that before you imprisoned veterans and war heroes! You sell out! What makes you decide who should be free and who should be prisoner!" The firebender punches a flame at Bundi but Bundi blocks it with his spear which is made of a material that can absorb fire.

Bundi tosses his spear into the man's chest and switches to a battlesword. An army spearman lunges his weapon at Bundi's right shoulder but Bundi swats the spear right, sprints, and diagonally slashes the soldier's neck. The body falls sideways and slumps over. Bundi shakes blood off his sword. An army duelist leaps toward him with a vertical strike but the captain shifts his blade high and horizontally as he blocks the hit.

Bundi twirls his blade and counters with a lower horizontal left sweep which dispatches his opponent. Bundi looks around and sees the field around him is littered with corpses. Most of the Remnant defense force has fallen. A guardian right of him nods in respect and presses onward. A guardian left of him is blasted by a beam of fire but a firebender quickly moves in his place to continue the fight.

A counter barrage of three artillery shots flies in the air from Bundi's direction and obliterates five army archers. Bundi looks behind in surprise. A remnant firebender and a remnant shield trooper shout, "Yeah!" It seems the Remnant mobilized their artillery to fight back against the enemy while the evacuation commenced. As Bundi looks back he notices the base looks empty and most of the Remnant wounded and noncombatants have probably escaped.

A Remnant trooper warns, "Bundi! Look out!" Bundi turns around and sees two arrows fly in his direction. He leaps right, under the grass as he hears the clash of blades and shooting of flames around him. Bundi hears footsteps incoming as two army soldiers (one firebender on the left and one swordsman on the right) charge in his direction, unaware that he just fell.

Bundi rises and lodges the firebender's head off. The swordsman swings at his back but Bundi rotates his body and diagonally blocks the hit. The Remnant officer shifts his blade forward and left then vertically cleaves his opponent. An army spearman runs at Bundi, "You live by the sword..."

Bundi pulls his blade left to defend himself but the spearman rams his blade into Bundi's stomach. Spearman: "You die by it." Bundi hears his stomach rumble as the spearman heaves his blade out of Bundi's gut. Bundi collapses and dies in the grass with his brothers and sisters in arms.

A spear glides through the chest of a Remnant firebender and a Remnant guardian is slashes across his right shoulder by an Army swordsman. The guardian bends down in agony then the swordsman plows his weapon through the warrior's back and chest. The army trooper yanks the blade back and the man's body falls. Soon all the Remnant defense force is wiped out.

Dozens of bodies from both sides pack the field. Blood soaks the soil and the dirt. Flames burn from the fight that ensued but firebenders use their abilities to douse the flames. Army troopers bury their dead but a Sergeant confronts a Major to ask what to do with the Remnant corpses. Army Sergeant: "Sir, where should we bury them? I could put them a bit further into the countryside."

Army Major: "Don't bury these scumbags. They caused all of this unnecessary bloodshed by being terrorists! Gather their bodies and burn them!"

The Sergeant looks in surprise, "But sir, the locals respect those troopers."

Army Major: "We already pissed them off by killing every soldier we could. In the meantime, I want you to burn their bodies and burn that camp! If you don't, then I will find someone else who will carry out that order after I demote you. Do you understand?"

Sergeant: "Yes sir."

Army major: "And for their base, search and take anything valuable that you can. But after that I can't stand the sight of this place. After we take what matters burn it down!" What was a beautiful day in Tesero becomes a very ugly one. People in the city cry at the destruction of their heroes. The fields burn with the bodies of dead Remnant soldiers. Heavy smoke flows in the sky and dark grey clouds form.