The Rescue Mission Part 2

Kanna, Sada, Jesha, and Keada continue their push into Zerrel's underground base. Kanna looks around and whispers, "Wait a minute, I just realized we're an all-girl team."

Keada: "Oh, good catch girl."

Sada scolds, "Please stay focused."

Keada: "Oh lighten up Sada."

Sada replies, "Sorry, I'm not a firebender." The girls briefly chuckle. The team continues their search and notices several torches around them. The girls notice two swordsmen and an earthbender behind them.

Earthbender: "Make them suffer!" Sada extends her right hand and smacks the right swordsman aside with a water tentacle. The earthbender launches two stones at Kanna and Kanna leaps behind Sada. Sada fires a volley of ice knives at the earthbender. The bender raises his arms and a wall of earth blocks the incoming shots. The earthbender launches the top half of his wall at Sada's face.

Sada ducks and Kanna notices it at the last second. Most people would have been nailed by it, but Kanna ducks. The earthbender raises his arms and earth from the ground surrounds the duo. Jesha sprints at the man to keep him from doing any more damage but the DOJ swordsman lunges at her. Jesha knocks his sword in the left direction then lunges at him with a horizontal slash.

The swordsman spins backward then leaps back at her with a right diagonal strike. Jesha leaps backward. Kanna turns around and fries an opening through the earth ball, breaking it in half. Kanna leaps out of the earth ball and the earthbender notices. He launches the remains of the ball forward, knocking Sada several feet back. The earthbender hurls a rectangular fragment of the wall at Kanna. Kanna dives right and Keada fires an arrow at the bender.

The earthbender raises a thin earth wall that blocks the shot then launches his wall at Keada. Keada rolls left and Kanna kicks a rod of dark orange fire into the man's stomach. The swordsman diagonally swings at Jesha again but this time he does from the left direction. Jesha parries the hit with her left sword and thrusts her right sword into his stomach. Sada blasts the remains of the earth ball off her with a gust of water.

The broken ball hits the ceiling before falling back down. Sada leaps forward to avoid being squished. The team enters another hallway and notices several cells. Kanna: "I think this part of the base is a prison. We might find Zuko here." The team notices another two swordsmen and a waterbender.

Waterbender: "Intruders! Alert the others!!!" Keada pops an arrow in the neck of the swordsman on the left. Kanna jumps to fire a flame into the other swordsman but the waterbender notices her and blasts with a beam of water.

Kanna flies into a wall, "Yuuuue!" Keada flings an arrow into the waterbender's chest.

Waterbender: "Ahhh!" The last swordsman attempts to run but is smacked by a large water whip from Sada. The whip knocks the man five feet in the air before he tumbles back down.

Jesha comments, "Maybe that was a bit too much force." Sada nods.

Keada checks Kanna, "Are you alright Kanna?"

Kanna nods her head, "I'm super." Keada pulls Kanna up. The girls continue their search. Ty Lee and Suki sit in their cells and suddenly see the girls run past them.

Ty Lee yells, "Hey!!"

Suki: "Come back." The girls return.

Ty Lee comments, "Hey, it's an all-girls team!"

Kanna smirks, "That's what I said."

Ty Lee remembers Kanna from Chiko's Nyarri celebration, "Kanna, hi. It's been too long, my friend."

Suki: "Get us out of here."

Sada comments, "Unfortunately none of us are earthbenders. We'll need to find the key room."

Suki says, "I have a key, I just didn't flee because I didn't think it was time."

Jesha raises an eyebrow, "How did you get a key?"

Suki grins, "I have my ways." Suki hands the key to Keada who unlocks the cell door. Ty lee and Suki stand.

Kanna smiles, "We can really do some damage now. Let's show them real girl power."

Uncharted Territory

Kett, Desan, Serraj, Jarue, and Konbo continue their push down the hill. Several warriors run to engage them. The enemy team consists of two swordsmen, two spearmen, a waterbender, and an axman. Kett: "Alright people, let's get to work!" Kett leaps and pumps two light orange flames into the swordsmen. Konbo pumps his spear in the axman's stomach.

Jarue fires a beam of water at the DOJ waterbender. The cultist raises a wall of ice and parries the shot. The cultist chucks the upper half of his wall at Jarue's upper body. Jarue dives right then rolls on the floor and pours a beam of hot water into his opponent. Serraj pounds an arrow into a spearman.

The remaining spearman lunges at Desan's stomach. The 31st marine rotates his blade left and butts it away from him. Desan gallops and slams his blade into the man's chest. Desan pulls his sword back and the man falls. Kett comments, "Not bad. We can't be far from the enemy base."

Konbo points, "We've got company." Karanga arrives with several DOJ troopers. The troopers include a swordsman, a waterbender, a warrior with dual swords, an archer, and an earthbender.

Karanga coldly stares at Kett, "Your legacy ends here."

Kett: "We'll see about that." Kett rapidly zaps two light orange flames at the elite assassin. Karanga does a left cartwheel and her troopers spring into action. Serraj fires an arrow at the DOJ waterbender but the man rolls forward. Jarue extends his left hand and shoots a volley of ice knives into the earthbender's chest. The cult archer shoots an explosive arrow at Desan.

Desan rolls on the ground to avoid getting nailed, but the arrow lands a few feet behind him. The ensuing explosion creates a crater in the ground and Desan nearly slides into the crater, but he picks up his sword and slams it into the ground. Serraj readjusts her focus and pounds an arrow in the archer's stomach. The swordsman moves closer to her and Serraj fires another arrow at him; the man knocks it away with his blade.

Karanga aims at Kett and directs several wrist projectiles at him. Kett leaps right and fires a beam of light orange fire at her. Karanga jumps right and soars in the air; turning her body as she fires several more projectiles at the Vindicated Avenger. Kett rolls left and Karanga lands. Kett pushes a volley of light orange fireballs at Karanga. Karanga sways from right to left as she dodges two flames then slides left.

Karanga sprints at Kett and he fires another beam of fire at her. Karanga flips right and Kett flings another flame at her stomach. The assassin slides forward (in a similar fashion to Kanna) then leaps off the ground toward Kett with a spinning diagonal attack. Kett leaps backward and pumps a light orange flame at her face. Karanga ducks then rises and horizontally slashes Kett's left side with her wrist blade.

Blood flows from Kett's side and he takes a back step, "Ugh."

Karanga comments while looking at her bloody wrist blade, "Life is so fragile isn't it."

Kett hisses, "Haaaa!" Kett fires a beam of light orange fire directly at Karanga. Karanga slides right as the fire looms over her head. The assassin springs back on her feet and diagonally swipes at the left side of Kett's face. Kett ducks and grabs Karanga by her left side.

Karanga shouts, "Huh!" Kett presses his right hand on her back and blasts her back with a beam of light orange fire. Karanga flies into the dirt and passes out, "Huuuuuuuugh!" Jarue extends his hands and blasts two swordsmen aside with water beams. Konbo notices the soldier with dual swords charge at him.

Konbo lunges at the man's right shoulder but he knocks the spear in the left direction. The trooper sprints to close the distance then horizontally lunges at the earth kingdom trooper's ribs. Konbo spins backward and thrusts his spare into the man's stomach. Konbo kicks the duelist down and looks around.

The waterbender bolts two water bullets at Desan. The 31st marine swiftly blocks both bullets, but they erupt in his face and briefly disorient him. The waterbender then hurls a large rock of ice at him. Desan leaps left and Serraj takes aim at her opponent. The DOJ waterbender unloads a barrage of ice knives at the water tribe archer. Serraj dives behind a tree for cover then Desan rushes his enemy.

The waterbender turns and fires an ice knife at Desan's chest. Desan quickly lowers his blade and slashes the ice weapon. Desan is now only two feet away from his opponent. The waterbender extends his arms and begins to hurl himself away with a gust of water. Just as the waterbender begins to escape Desan jumps in the air and pounds his sword into the man's chest. The waterbender cries, "Huuuuhhhh!" The waterbender collapses and Desan falls with him. Desan drops his sword and falls on his back while the waterbender lands with Desan's sword in his chest.

Konbo steps behind Desan, "Need a helping hand?" Desan turns and extends his hand. Konbo helps his new friend up. Desan retrieves his sword from his fallen enemy, still regretting the loss of life. Serraj wraps a bandage around Kett's wound and applies an ointment to it.

Kett: "Thanks Serraj, I see the Water Tribe really values medical care."

Serraj comments, "We often have medics on the field even for nonbenders. Of course, some of our most talented waterbenders are capable of bending."

Konbo says, "I would have thought it'd be the other way around. With people from the Fire Nation trying to deal with their lack of healing abilities by having more field medics."

Serraj adds, "A lot of times the Water Tribes have been forced to fight with limited resources. Especially outside of the Northern Water Tribe. Because of this, we often end up using what we have to heal people. During the war, our water tribe healers would often wait in the villages, forts, or war camps to heal any injured troops transported there because we couldn't risk them all dying on the battlefield. The Northern Water Tribe has the most benders anyway and nearly all of the Southern Water Tribe benders were killed."

Desan: "Oh yeah, that's right. Sorry about that."

Serraj: "You had little to do with it personally. But yes, most of the Southern Water Tribe benders were killed. It caused a spiritual ripple throughout the planet."

Kett: "That must have been very difficult for Southern Water Tribe members in particular, I can only imagine the pain they went through."

Serraj nods, "I have a few friends and relatives from there."

Kett looks at Konbo, "So why doesn't the Earth Kingdom have more field medics?"

Konbo replies, "Unlike the Fire Nation, there is more diversity among most of the units in the Earth Kingdom. We weren't very united or organized. Not like in some of the past eras anyway. Granted we're more uniform than the Water Tribes but still. But what I would say about a lot of the Earth Kingdom leaders is that they didn't see field medics as a tough thing. Most of our warriors believed they could toughen it out if they were wounded in battle and many of us didn't fear death."

Kett: "Oh there are some members of the Fire Nation who are just as fanatical as that, but others are spineless cowards. Especially some of the nobles."

Konbo: "It's not so much about the nation for some of the soldiers. For some of them, they just rather die fighting than look weak. It's more of a cultural thing with some of us and how we want to be remembered after we pass."

Hard Contact

Macai, Hagenko, Arret, Moriana, and Kaft continue moving past the crates toward the base entrance. Macai: "We're almost there." Hagenko points, "Look ahead." Several DOJ warriors emerge, they are not the standard warriors with dark grey armor and orange markings. Nor are they the elite messengers. They are another variant altogether. These men have tawny brown armor with lighter red-orange stripes and gold markings. Their helmets have silver visors and tawny brown shoes to match.

Zerrel smiles and jumps on top of a crate that is eight feet from Macai, "Well, if it isn't Macai. I've long waited for this day."

Darth Revan's Boss Theme (Extended Version) [Youtube] {Music Starts}

Macai: "Zerrel, stand down you lunatic! This madness ends now!"

Zerrel shouts, "No, it ends when I say it ends!! Liberation guards, attack!" One liberation guard has several throwing knives (his knives have gold blades with dark brown holders), another has a long sword and a medium-length round shield gauntlet to match, the other has a spear, and the fourth has one long chain blade rather than two.

Macai extends both of his arms and fires a blaze of white fire at his new rival. The old maverick lowers his hands and launches himself eight feet in the air with a swirl of yellow fire. Zerrel looks down at Macai and launches two massive yellow flames at the young commander. Macai dives right and large explosions knock chunks of the ground in the air.

Zerrel flies toward Macai and fires a beam of yellow flames at Macai. Macai leaps behind some crates to avoid being vaporized. Zerrel lowers his altitude and shouts, "You can't hide forever Macai!" Zerrel fires two explosive flames into the crates, blowing them apart. Macai leaps backward and fires another beam of white fire at Zerrel. Zerrel douses his flames and lands on the ground to keep himself from being fried.

Zerrel briefly closes his eyes, knowing how to deal with someone with bright flames because he understands his own bright flames deeply. Zerrel opens his eyes, knowing when the danger is over. Zerrel swiftly pumps two yellow flames at Macai's face. Macai ducks and is surprised by Zerrel's sheer speed. Macai pumps two white flames at Zerrel's body.

Zerrel blocks the flames with his arms and kicks an explosive yellow block of fire at Macai's abdomen. Macai rolls left, narrowly dodging the shot. Macai shouts, "Raaaaah!" Macai charges and knocks a stream of white fire at Zerrel. Zerrel effortlessly lunges over the flames and kicks a yellow ball of fire at Macai's face.

Macai douses his flame then raises his arms and thwarts the blast. Zerrel lands and slashes a yellow fire whip from his left hands at Macai's midsection. Macai rotates his right arm and blocks the whip. Zerrel stretches his right hand and pops a yellow flame at Macai's right leg. Macai slightly raises his right leg and Zerrel swiftly pumps two yellow fireballs at the commander's stomach.

Macai lowers his hands and blocks the flames. Zerrel pivots his left hand and fires a beam of yellow fire at the commander's face. Macai ducks then rises back on his feet. Macai fires a beam of white fire at Zerrel but Zerrel is faster and swiftly fires his own yellow beam at Macai. Macai's beam is larger but Zerrel's immediately hits Macai's and takes up 80 percent of the space between them. Macai's muscles grow weary from the immediate pressure.

Macai growls, "Ahhhhhaaahhha!" Meanwhile, the Liberation troopers engage the rest of Macai's team. The knife thrower chucks two of his knives at Hagenko. Hagenko flips left and the knife thrower tosses two more knives at the marine. Hagenko rotates his and swats one of the knives aside while moving away from another.

Arret notices the preoccupied Hagenko and seeks to assist him. As Arret raises her bow the guard with the chainblade raises his weapon and swings it at her. Arret rolls right and rises an arrow at the man. The guard rotates his blade and knocks the arrow away. The guard rotates his hands and horizontally swivels the blade at Arret's neck. Arret ducks and rolls left then flips back on her feet.

A guard with dual swords lunges at Kaft and the duelist horizontally blocks the strike. Kaft rotates his blade and the liberation guard takes a backstep. The guard bobs forward and horizontally strikes his left blade at Kaft's right side. Kaft rotates his weapon and blocks the blow. The man diagonally swings his right blade at Kaft's neck. Kaft shifts his sword and knocks the blade back.

Kaft leaps to his opponent's left flank. The guard pulls back his right sword and lunges at Kaft's neck. Kaft twirls right then diagonally slashes the guard's left hand. Liberation guard "Ah!" The guard drops his left sword but still diagonally hacks at the water tribe warrior. Kaft blocks the strike and knees the man in his groin. The guard bends down and Kaft backhands him; the man passes out.

Moriana sees the spearman and man with the long sword and shield charge at her. The earthbender fires several rocks at the shield-wielding warrior, the man blocks the blows with his shield but stumbles back a few feet. The talented earthbender turns her head and the spearman dives toward her with a lethal strike.

At the last second, Moriana shields her hands with metal gauntlets and swats the spear to the left with her right hand. Moriana backhands the guard with her gauntlet, laying him out. The swordsman charges at Moriana but the earthbender launches a massive earth ball from the ground below at her opponent. The duelist blocks the attack but is knocked five feet back. The man's advanced shield is dented but he springs back to his feet.

Moriana raises her hands and causes the ground the man is standing on to sink. A crater in the ground forms and several crates fall on top of the liberation guard. Moriana looks left and knocks a gust of sand into the chainblade trooper. The knife thrower readjusts as he throws another knife at Hagenko's left shoulder and the marine twirls right. Another knife lands on his right side.

Hagenko collapses and Arret fires an arrow through the guard's visor. Arret runs up to Hagenko, "Are you ok?"

Hagenko nods, "I'll live, I've been through worse, but I'm out for the day." Arret pulls the knife out of Hagenko's body and lays it down. Hagenko: "Ugh!"

Arret: "If only we brought a medic. When reinforcements come, I'll make sure they get to you asap." Arret pulls a large tissue-like material and presses it against Hangeko's wound. Moriana looks right and see's Macai struggling to hold Zerrel's fire back.

Macai groans, "Ugh." Zerrel overpowers Macai and blasts him back into a crate.

Zerrel twirls his hands with yellow fire and prepares to finish his opponent, "Goodbye Macai." Moriana charges at Zerrel and launches a barrage of stones at him. Zerrel swiftly rotates his body and creates two yellow fire daggers. Zerrel swings from right to left as he slashes four stones apart. Zerrel slowly walks toward Moriana and she launches another stone at his right shoulder; Zerrel easily slashes it.

Moriana fires another stone at the left side of Zerrel's face but he also slashes it. Arret aims at Zerrel's face but Zerrel flicks a yellow flame into her left shoulder. Arret: "Uh!"

Hagenko shouts, "No!" Kaft lurks a few feet behind Zerrel with his sword ready. Moriana launches a large rectangle of earth at Zerrel, not knowing Kaft is behind him. Zerrel is nailed by the object and Kaft leaps out of the way. The DOJ leader rolls several feet back.

Moriana looks at him and wonders if he's still conscious. Kaft shouts, "Way to go!" Moriana slowly moves toward her opponent with her guard up.

Zerrel leaps back on his feet, "Arrraaaghhhhaaaaa!!" Zerrel launches an eight-foot-wide storm of yellow flames at the earthbender. Moriana pulls both of her hands back and shoots a twelve feet wide gust of earth into Zerrel's flames. White ash flows from the collision and Kaft slowly backpedals. Before the smoke clears two bright yellow fireballs fly toward Moriana.

The earthbender raises a wall of earth which blocks the shots but crumbles from the pressure. Zerrel leaps forward and kicks a rod of bright yellow fire at Moriana's right leg. Moriana slides left, Zerrel extends his left hand and fires a yellow flame into the young woman's abdomen. Moriana opens her mouth and falls on her back. Steam flows from her chest.

(Music Stops)

Zerrel comments, "And this is an unfortunate price of the journey. We can only find the right path through death and pain. But it will not be in vain, nooo. All great changes result in progress and I will cherish it when these mighty civilizations fall. So that the people may avoid the greater evil of absolute unchecked power."

Kaft shouts and charges at Zerrel, "Ahhhhhh!" Zerrel extends his right hand and pumps a flame in Kaft's right shoulder. Kaft: "Ouuughhh!"

Breaking Their Lines

Two DOJ swordsmen are shot down by two of Kanna's dark orange flames. Sada, Kanna, Keada, Jesha, Ty Lee, and Suki advance in front of a key room. Sada: "It will take too long to open all of these doors and there aren't that many prisoners. We can talk about freeing them at a later time but some of them are members of the DOJ who were locked up. Some of them might have deserved the punishment but others might be even worse than most of the cult members we have fought."

Ty Lee frowns, "I don't like the sound of that."

Suki: "We should focus on destroying enemy weapons so they can't use them in the future."

Jesha: "From what I've seen, they don't have that many weapons locked up in here. They definitely are getting their advanced technology from somewhere, but this base isn't really used for that from what I can tell."

Sada puts her hands on her chin, "That means they have more bases and probably more important ones than this. These guys are a lot more powerful than we thought."

Suki: "Are you the only ones who came to rescue us?"

Keada: "No, there are two other teams. Kett and Macai both have teams."

Suki: "Lets at least cut them off and try meeting with one of the other teams. We are stronger together and can take this base from them. That would be an important victory."

Kanna agrees, "That sounds like a plan to me. Let's go, but first let's have a girl power fist bump."

Sada: "We don't have time for that..."

Suki: "No, she's right, we should."

Ty Lee cheeses heavily, "Yeah, I agree."

The girls fist bump and shout, "GIRL POWER!!"

Sada sighs, "Why did you make me do that?"

Suki: "Alright, let's go." The girls run across a hallway but notice that several DOJ warriors have moved to intercept them. They notice one officer with a yellow visor, dark grey armor, and a cape. The officer is holding a sword. His unit includes three swordsmen, two spearmen, two axmen, an earthbender, and a firebender.

The officer points his sword forward and the troopers charge. Sada blasts a swordsman and a spearman with water torpedoes. Kanna launches a beam of dark orange fire into an axman and he flies into a swordsman; knocking his comrade out and brutally flopping over. Ty Lee leaps in the air and kicks the other axman in his face.

The spearman charges at Suki but she swats his weapon out of his hands with her fans then vertically knocks her enemy down with an upper strike. The firebender pumps a flame at Suki and she leaps left. Keada shoots an arrow into the firebender's chest. The other spearman lunges at Jesha but she slides left and horizontally cuts him down with a right swing.

The earthbender launches several objects at Ty Lee and she leaps right. Sada launches a six-foot-long and four-foot-wide block of ice into the earthbender. Keada fires an arrow in a swordman's neck and only the officer remains. He looks down at all his fallen comrades who all went down in a matter of seconds and his confidence is immediately broken. The officer looks up at the girls who confidently stare him down.

The man turns his back and runs. Suki comments, "Not very honorable, I expected better." Ty Lee shrugs her shoulders and does a cartwheel forward. The rest of the girls sprint behind them. Kanna notices that Ty Lee does acrobatics even more than she does. Although the duo are roughly just as acrobatic, Ty Lee casually performs such moves while Kanna only uses them while fighting or competing in sports.

The caped officer flees into the large cargo room. The room is about twenty meters wide and thirty meters long. Several supplies are being shipped throughout the facility and a few stationary carriages lay in the cargo bay. Two swordsmen, a spearman, and a firebender stand around Beruto who is in the center of the facility.

The caped officer tells Beruto the story, unfortunate Beruto is the most hothead of the DOJ leaders. Beruto shouts, "You FOOL!! How dare you, you pathetic idiot! Get over here!" Beruto grabs the officer and pounds the man in his stomach so hard that everyone hears a pop. The officer flies seven feet in the air and crashes against a wall before he goes tumbling down.

The girls arrive in the hangar. Kanna sees the man fall, "Ouch."

Ty Lee: "He's definitely having a rough day."

Beruto looks at the girls and cracks his knuckles, "AHHHH, fresh blood. 50,000 shekles to however KILLS one of these girls."

A spearman draws his blade and points at Kanna, "She's mine!"

Kanna comments, "Oh." The warriors charge at the young women and Sada fires two waterballs at Beruto. Beruto raises a wall of earth which blocks her shots then hurls the wall at the waterbender. The wall flies at 65 miles an hour as the master earthbender launches it. Sada leaps left and the wall smacks against the bigger wall behind it, the collision is so hard that sparks fly from the friction.

Beruto raises his hands and hurls two stones at Sada. Sada rolls right dodging the first stone then ducks to avoid the second. Sada fires a beam of water at Beruto's face. Beruto holds up his right below, but some of the beam slashes his arm. Beruto snarls, "Gaaah!!" Then Beruto extends his left hand and sends a shockwave of earth toward Sada.

Sada dives left but two of Beruto's own troopers and Suki are also forced to run from the massive attack. The spearman charges at Kanna and she easily kicks a dark orange flame in his stomach; the man is launched several feet back by the explosive fireball. A swordsman swings vertically at Jesha and she horizontally blocks the strike with her right sword then lunges her other sword in the man's abdomen.

Another swordsman vertically swings at Ty Lee. The Kyoshi warrior rolls right and kicks the man in his chest with a flying kick. The firebender shoots a large beam of orange fire at Jesha and the girl leaps right. Keada aims her arrow at her opponent as she looks to finish him off, but two smoke grenades suddenly roll behind the girl squad. Smoke flows around the crew members.

Two DOJ swordsmen and one waterbender move to ambush them. Beruto walks through the smoke and Sada waits patiently. Sada hears her opponent then pulls her hands back and fires a ray of ice at her enemy. Beruto turns and lifts a mound of earth, the earth is frozen by the ice then Bertuo kicks it and the mound breaks.

Beruto raises his arm and musters a large block of earth, "Errrrraaaaaahhhhaa!" Beruto hurls his block at the waterbender and Sada slides left with a stream of water moving her. Sada slides towards Beruto with her stream of water and shoots a gust of water into the earthbender. Beruto flies backward and hits his head against the wall. Beruto goes to sleep.

A swordsman charges at Suki and vertically swings at her. Suki leaps left and smacks the man on his back with her right fan. A waterbender fires two water bullets at Ty Lee. Ty Lee leaps side to side dodging the attacks. A swordswoman swings vertically at Jesha, Jesha crosses her blades and blocks the strike then pushes her enemy's blade back and diagonally cuts the woman down with her right sword.

The DOJ firebender pumps two bricks of fire at Kanna and she slides forward. Keada turns to aim at the firebender a second time but the waterbender smacks her aside with a water tentacle. Ty Lee shouts, "Stop it!" The waterbender pumps two water torpedoes at her and Ty Lee flips left. The waterbender lashes at Ty Lee with a right water tentacle and she turns left. The waterbender flicks a left water tentacle at her head and she ducks while pivoting further left.

Suki charges at the waterbender and the man turns and hooks a stream of water at her. Suki leaps against the right wall then launches herself off the wall. The waterbender fires a volley of three water bullets at Suki while he's in midair. Suki rotates her body dodging each shot before she lands beside her opponent. Suki lunges at her enemy again with a horizontal attack.

The waterbender extends his right hand and freezes Suki. The waterbender boasts, "The Disciples of Justice cannot be beaten, we are the manifestation of destiny!!" The firebender extends both of his hands and blasts a gaze of orange flames at Ty Lee. Ty Lee rolls right and the bender horizontally swings a firewhip at her. Ty Lee does a right flip then charges at her opponent.

The firebender shoots a volley of flames at the girl. Ty Lee rapidly leaps behind her opponent, the firebender turns around but Ty Lee kicks the man in his chin. Ty Lee looks back and notices a frozen Suki. Ty Lee chirps, "Aww Suki, Sada will unthaw you!" The remaining DOJ waterbender notices Sada and fires a stream of water at her. Sada swirls her hands around, using a technique only she and Kett seem to use. The water flies into Sada's swirl of water and Sada pushes her hand forward. Sada effectively redirects the water that was fired at her and also adds her own water to the shot to make it more deadly. A five-foot wide beam of water flies back at the bender.

The man dives right, still dodging the attack. Ty Lee leaps and lands three feet away from the man. The waterbender blasts her aside with a beam of water. Jesha runs at him and the waterbender holds three 3-feet wide ice blocks over his head. The man pulls his hand down and throws the first one at Jesha. Jesha rolls forward and the first one breaks behind her.

The waterbender tosses the second ice block into Jesha and it cracks on impact, "Awww!" Jesha flies four feet back before she lands hard on the floor. Kanna looks around and realizes all the other girls are injured but alive besides her and Sada. Kanna knows she must be careful with her explosive dark orange fire to avoid accidentally killing her wounded and stationary friends.

Kanna sprints toward her opponent. The waterbender turns and fires a beam of water at her. Kanna slides left then emerges and sends a barrage of dark orange fire bullets at her opponent. The waterbender raises his hands and blocks the shots with a gust of water. The man stands in front of a frozen Suki and threatens, "Stand down or I'll kill her!"

Sada takes aim at the man while moving on his right flank. The waterbender shouts, "That means you too Sada." Sada fires a beam of ice at the waterbender, the waterbender turns in surprise and is frozen.

Kanna looks back at Sada, "You put Suki at risk."

Sada comments, "We didn't have time to negotiate. There has been too much on the line recently. I knew an ice shot would not kill Suki, not instantly anyway. It would only freeze more stuff and might give Suki some room to keep her from being broken into pieces. Sada slides toward Suki with a wave of water and puts her hands on the ice around Suki. The ice suddenly melts and an unconscious Suki falls.

Sada catches the Kyoshi warrior and lays her down. Sada looks at Kanna, "Kanna, watch over our friends. I'm going to look for something."

Kanna comments, "But I'm the faster runner out of the two of us. I can go."

Sada: "No Kanna, the risk might be too great."

Kanna: "Then I'm going with you!"

Sada: "You must watch after them."

Kanna: "If Zerrel is out there, you can't take him alone."

Sada: "Who says I'm taking him alone. He might be busy with our friends."

Kanna: "But you think he's out there."

Sada: "He certainly isn't here and I think we would have run into him by now if he was. Chances are he's engaging Kett or Macai's team since they have been out and about this whole time. I don't know how powerful he is but I heard he's a top-tier threat. We can't afford to let him go but someone must stay here and watch the others." Keada slowly gets up.

Keada salutes the girls, "I'm back and ready to go."

Kanna: "Keada can watch the other three."

Sada: "No Kanna, one of us must stay here. Macai put me in charge of this unit, I know you're not used to working with me but my word is final. You will stay here and watch after the others. I will go and that order is final." Sada leaves and Kanna purses her lips.

Keada looks at Kanna, "Well, at least you have me."

Kanna: "That sounds like something I'd say, expect I would smile while saying it." Keada smiles. As this is happening, Sada runs outside and notices Zerrel standing outside with Macai unconscious and leaning against a crate. She sees a wounded Hagenko, unconscious Arret, knocked out Kaft, and a down Moriana. The waterbender also notices several dispatched DOJ troopers.

Zerrel steps forward, hoping to reunite with his allies but sees Sada. Zerrel: "Well, it looks like I have one more enemy to bash up." Sada enters her battle stance. Zerrel enters his battle stance. Zerrel rapidly fires two yellow flames at the girl. Sada slides left with a gust of water and fires a surge of water at the DOJ leader.

Zerrel fires his own beam of yellow fire into Sada's water, evaporating it. Zerrel pulls his right hand back then hurls an explosive yellow ball of fire at the girl. Zerrel tosses a second explosive ball from his left hand at her. Sada launches herself backward with a stream of water and a powerful yellow explosion somewhat obscures her view. Sada creates a wall of ice in front her and takes a backstep.

A blast of yellow fire immediately melts the ice. Sada rolls right and fires a barrage of water torpedoes in Zerrel's direction. Zerrel shifts his hands right to left and vaporizes the water with yellow firewhips. Sada muses, This man is ridiculously powerful. Zerrel looks Sada in her eyes and slowly walks toward her.

Suddenly, the Vindicated Avenger descends with a gust of fire and lands beside Sada. Kett looks at Sada, "The Vindicated Avenger is once again at your service. What's the situation?"

Zerrel fire a beam of yellow fire at Kett. Kett rolls right. Sada shouts, "That!"

Kett asks, "And Macai?"

Sada comments, "He's down."

Kett: "Well, we have the numbers, we can take him!" Kett leaps forward and pumps a volley of light orange flames at Zerrel. Zerrel notices the flames and raises a wall of yellow fire that blocks the shots.

Sada shakes her head, "So reckless. We could have made a plan to avoid casualties." Sada leaps from cover and fires a volley of water torpedoes at Zerrel. Zerrel's fire shield collapses and he immediately realizes he's on the defensive. Sada fires a beam of water at him and Zerrel runs inside of the cargo facility to look for backup.

Zerrel yells, "I need assistance!" Zerrel looks and sees his members are all down even Beruto. Zerrel's face gets red and Kanna leaps and kicks a dark orange rod of fire at him. Zerrel defensively rolls Kett flies behind him with a gust of light orange fire. Sada moves from his rear right flank. Serraj waits at Zerrel from his far rear left flank, Desan waits behind cover with a sword ready, and Konbo watches beside Desan.

Zerrel frowns, "Oh my, I must say I'm not impressed with my men."

Kanna adds, "They fought well, but not well enough." While Zerrel is cornered Beruto suddenly wakes up. The man stands and sees his leader surrounded.

Beruto shouts, "Zerrel!" Kett raises his eyes brows and Kanna's eyes widen. Keada turns around and Beruto launches a mound of earth into Keada. Keada drops her bow and passes out. Beruto stretches out his arms and causes half of Kanna's body to sink into the ground.

Kanna yells, "Owwww!!"

Kett anxiously shouts, "Blast him!" Kett fires two light orange flames at Zerrel's chest. Zerrel extends his arms and generates two thin yellow fire wrist shields. Zerrel intercepts the shots with his wrist shields then Sada fires a stream of ice at the DOJ leader. Zerrel raises his right arm and a wall of fire flies into Sada's attack.

Zerrel fires another beam of fire at Kett and Kett leaps left. Zerrel turns his back and runs through the cargo room looking to escape. Kanna looks at Zerrel and breathes a stream of dark orange fire from her mouth at Zerrel. Zerrel leaps across several creates, away from Kanna's attack and lands behind come cover.

Sada looks at Beruto and Beruto raises his arms and sinks himself in the ground. Beruto escapes and flees underground like a baggermole. Sada shakes her head in disbelief. Kett fires several light orange streams of fire in Zerrel's direction, to stop him in his tracks. Zerrel leaps right and dodges one stream then dashes forward avoiding the next strike. Zerrel scrambles back to his feet and through a door into a hallway in his facility.

Sada catches up with Kett, "Let's get after him."

Jarue runs behind the duo, "Then I'm coming too. The nonbenders can look after each other for now. Macai will eventually wake up and the other conscious people can help pull Kanna out of that hole." Kett nods his head and the trio runs into the hallway. Kett notices two possible ways Zerrel could have run.

Kett asks, "Which way did he go?"

Sada: "I'm not sure but we definitely shouldn't split up. Let's go left." The team runs left. They see Zerrel in the distance about twenty feet away. Sada immediately fires a beam of cold water at him, Kett pushes a beam of light orange fire, and Jarue holds his fire. Zerrel runs across the hall into another one. Sada and Kett run after the man and Jarue trails behind them.

Jarue stops and looks right, "Guys, I found Zuko's chamber." Sada and Kett suddenly stop in their tracks.

Sada asks, "How do you know?"

Jarue: "I can just tell. I can feel it, can't you Sada?"

Sada thinks, "I was so distracted but yes you're right."

Kett: "Man I wish most of us firebenders were as spiritually sound as you waterbenders."

Jarue: "Earthbenders are also a bit asleep but how are we going to open these doors?"

Kett: "Easy, stand back." Kett charges his hands up and fires a beam of light orange fire through the right side of the wall near the door. Several bricks fly as an opening is made. Kett runs into the room and notices a restained Zuko on the left side of it. Sada and Jarue move behind Kett.

Zuko is barely clothed and has been badly beaten in confinement. Kett: "We're going to get you out of here your highness."

Zuko orders, "Don't call me that."

Kett answers, "Well, I guess that's an order. Whatever you say your firelordness."

Zuko: "Don't call me that either." Kett extends his right hand and blasts Zuko's right hand free of his chains. Kett extends his left hand and does the same with Zuko's left. Zuko leans backward and hits his head on the wall because his legs are still chained. Zuko: "Ugh"

Kett simultaneously blasts both leg restraints, "Sorry sir." An exhausted Zuko falls and hits his head. Kett winces.

Sada scolds, "Great job you moron."

Jarue helps Zuko up. Sada's hands shine with light blue water and she presses them against Zuko's skin. Zuko's wounds lessen and his scars decrease. Zuko moans. Sada comments, "There there. You're going to recover, but he still won't be 100 percent right away."

Jarue asks, "Can you stand on your feet?" Zuko nods and follows behind the crew but is a touch slower than them.

Kett: "Now let's get after Zerrel."

Sada retorts, "We need to get Zuko back to safety. Not put him in harms way. Zerrel might change his mind and just try to fry him."

Zuko protests, "I CAN protect myself!!"

Sada: "Of course you can in normal circumstances, but none of us seem capable of taking him on our own."

Zuko: "Well if I can't survive with all of your help against him then I deserve to die."

Jarue: "Errr, what?"

Zuko: "You heard me."

Kett: "I used to speak like you, one day Sada taught me that there are power in our words. What you say, has spiritual implications. Be very careful saying something so foolish."

Zuko clinches his teeth, "Oh well, my bad. But I don't need babying."

Sada: "You're the firelord, you CAN'T afford to be so reckless, no matter how powerful you are."

Jarue: "We also need to find General Mak."

Zuko: "Mak's gone?!"

Jarue: "What do you think? He was supposed to protect you and was trying to buy time for you to escape the palace."

Zuko defends himself, "You don't understand, there was no easy way to escape. They had our routes locked down."

Jarue: "That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is, never mind."

Sada looks at Jarue, "Don't be a jerk Jarue."

Jarue: "Fine, I'm still getting used to working with firebenders. Besides Kett that is."

Kett crosses his arms, "And it took you quite a while to get used to me."

Jarue: "Don't remind me. Your best friend did burn down my village after all."

Kett: "All in the past Jarue, people change."

Jarue sighs, "I know, I apologize."

Zuko: "Well in that case, I'm not leaving without Mak. He is one of my most loyal generals!"

Kett: "Oh no, Zerrel is a manipulative piece of trash. I bet he's going to take Mak with him before he escapes."

Zuko clinches his fists, "He will try! And he better hope we don't catch him FIRST!!"

General Mak shouts from a cell, "Hey, over here!"

Kett: "I stand corrected, I guess he was too close to Zuko for him to get him in time."

Sada: "Chill with the assumptions next time."

Jarue comments, "Assumptions aren't always bad." Macai emerges behind the team with Kaft beside him.

Macai: "The others are fine, but I woke up and wanted to see what's happening."

Zuko looks at Macai, "Zerrel got you too?" Macai doesn't answer.

General Mak: "Can one of you release me, please?"

Macai shouts, "Stand back."

Zuko comments, "He had to find his moment to showoff."

Macai comments, "And I'm sure you found your moment to whine earlier."

Everyone shouts, "Oooooohh."

Zuko looks at Macai in dismay, "So this is how my commander treats me now? Haven't I been good to you? I give you the supplies you want and the missions you want most of the time."

Macai: "It's only banter Zuko."

Zuko: "I know and that 10% drop in your paycheck will also be banter."

Macai: "Ahh that burns, but I'm already rich. It'll just be less money I'll give to charity." Macai fires a beam of white fire into the door and blasts it off its hinges.

Sada looks at Kett, "Why couldn't you just do it like that?"

Kett: "My flames are hot, but they're not THAT hot. People like Macai and Azula can fire anyone and near almost anything to dust."

Macai: "Only my flames are so bright that I might accidentally blind myself if I'm not careful." The team moves into the cell. Zuko looks at Mak, "I'm a bit jealous, you didn't get the chains and they let you have clothes besides underwear."

Mak: "Well, you got the Firelord treatment I suppose."

Zuko shakes his head, "Would you like to experience it?"

Macai: "Oh my."

Zuko: "I've been a little loopy ever since I've been in here. It's been a little too long."

Kett: "He hopes he doesn't have to deal with another Azula after this one."

Zuko: "What?!"

Macai: "What?!"

Kett: "Oh come on Macai, you know that's what you were thinking. You just weren't going to say it because you have to answer him. But I'm not a Fire Nation employee anymore. I work for the United Way, independent contractor over here. I do as I please."

Zuko clinches his teeth, "Ok MR. INDEPENDENT MAN."

Sada chuckles, "You guys are hilarious."

Kett: "I think that's what age does to people."

Mak shakes his head, "It has no correlation with age."

Kett: "Well correlation and causation are two different things."

Mak: "What?"

Kett: "I don't know."

Macai: "I think this conflict is making all of us crazy."

Zuko: "With everything we've been through, you're crazy if you're not crazy at this point. How about that?"

Kett shakes his head, "That doesn't make any sense."

Zuko: "It kinda does."

Kett: "Nope."

Jarue asks, "What are we doing again?"

Macai: "It seems we cleared out this base so now I suggest we scan the area and if they're all gone, I say we debrief. The enemies seemed to be on the run. Our relief should be scanning the area right about now and I'd guess the enemies just left if they spotted them. We already did a number on most of their forces earlier. We can also search for supplies, see what they have of value in this base that is still intact."

Kett: "Look at him, he's so smart and tactical."

Zuko: "Just like my sister, though a step below her."

Macai: "A whole step below!"

Zuko: "Oh please Macai, a step is barely any difference. To be honest, I think you're just as good with tactics as Azula. The difference between you and her she is better at long term strategy. So in this case, your point might have been as good as anything she said."

Macai: "It would be a bit better. I'm a better tactician than her because tactics is what I specialize in. I fought in so many more battles than her, but most of them don't last because I'm a marine. When it comes to strategy, yeah she's got me beat. But if she was such a great tactician she wouldn't have prepared better when Rosh and I got the jump on her."

Zuko asks Macai, "Then what is she planning now?"

Macai: "I don't do that. Azula is the strategist remember. I plan for the battles ahead of me, one at a time. Ok, I still strategize but not at her level and I honestly have no idea what she's doing."

Kett: "Maybe Macai will surprise us all and use an effective strategy to unlock Azula's cold heart one day. Imagine that."

Macai: "We'd both be equally surprised if that happened." The allies scan the area and realize the DOJ forces have left. The troops go on their bury their dead, but the losses were moderate. More than anything, the United Way and 31st suffered several injuries. Everyone felt fatigued after that intense battle, but they were also more committed to getting back at their enemies than ever before.

Macai looks at Konbo and Keada, "I'm sorry about your countrywoman, Moriana. She was a great fighter and she laid her life down for me. Without her help, I'd be dead right now."

Konbo: "Apology accepted commander, we know you won't let her death go to waste. We all knew the risks when we took this mission but put everything on the line to stop Zerrel and rescue Zuko. Zuko is one of the best Fire Nation allies our nation has ever had, we'd be fools to give him up so easily. The DOJ are a stain to all the nations and they are currently giving us a lot of problems as well."

Keada: "She was someone I looked up to honestly. I will miss her, but we must keep fighting on. It was an honor to fight with the 31st, you all are real professionals."

Macai: "I've never worked with Earth Kingdom or Water Tribe soldiers before. But you all were more than I could have ever asked for as allies. I look forward to working with some of you again in the future as we look to stop people who stand against peace." Keada: "Well said Macai but remember that not all peace is true peace.