You guys are gonna hate me for this. I'm so, so sorry.

Chapter 35 – Battle of Omashu

Iroh and Mylo both moved in unison, a flawless team. They were going to try the same move they had pulled on the guard, counting on the element of surprise to come through for them again. Iroh attacked as he ran, Mylo slipping in behind him. Ghul dodged the flames instead of blocking, which unnerved Iroh slightly. Most Earthbenders would block ninety-nine times out of one hundred. It was just the integral to their element and even their identity as a people. They would bravely face hardship head on, never shying away or backing down. Blocking was the most basic advantage that Earth had over other elements, and yet it wasn't used by Ghul. It didn't make sense, and uncertainties were never a good sign in battle.

Just as planned, Iroh dropped down, and Mylo used him to launch over Ghul and provide a distraction. She soared over him, but then a hand darted out and grabbed her ankle as she was coming down. Instead of landing cleanly on the opposite side of Ghul, she was dropped down hard on her front, as if she had been tossed around a fulcrum.

Iroh was worried about Mylo, but he knew he couldn't allow it to waste any time. He attacked while Ghul was turned away, since even if their plan hadn't worked how it was supposed to it had still provided the distraction intended. But Iroh barely felt in time the ground move below him, rising slightly. It caused his attack to go wild, instead striking a tavern sign, lighting it afire. Before Iroh could regain his aim and attack again, a large boulder ripped from the ground, flying at him. He dived out of the way, rolling back to his feet.

Ghul had turned his attention to Mylo, who was back on her feet and in his face. Hands maintaining a constant, but contained stream of fire, Mylo attacked the Earth King hand to hand. It was yet another technique that Mylo had come up with herself, ideally to be used as a substitute to knives. One of the key advantages that it had was that it could fool less experienced opponents. Even though it seemed like a very short range, almost punching type attack, it could actually extend whenever the user wanted into a normal attack, so in a moment that your hand happens to be facing the opponent, you could strike, which they would likely not be expecting. The way Iroh best envisioned it was his "fire knife" extending into a "fire sword" whenever he wanted. It could come in handy if used wisely.

Ghul seemed to understand quickly what he was facing. He blocked and deflected Mylo's lightning fast strikes, even when she tried firing flames to take advantage of her unique attack. He was adept at hand to hand combat, and soon used his superior strength and size to force Mylo to backpedal. Iroh attacked again hoping to take advantage of Ghul's divided attention. To his surprise, Ghul ducked smoothly at the last second, and Iroh's attack was almost upon Mylo instead. To her credit, she reacted instantly, redirecting Iroh's attack around herself and back at Ghul. Iroh attacked again, sending another attack at the King. Ghul leapt out of the way, and both attacks harmlessly scorched the cobblestone street.

They now stood in a triangle like formation, with both Iroh and Mylo on opposite sides of Ghul. He smirked. "Not bad. Not bad at all. But not good enough. You two have potential, and given another few years of training could have really taken it to me. But I won't let that happen. My turn, brats."

He moved so suddenly that Iroh didn't register it at first. Suddenly a barrage of fist sized rocks sprang up from the ground, raining into Iroh. With no time to do anything else, he used his arms to cover his head. His arms took a fair amount of damage, but it beat taking it to the brain. Meanwhile, Ghul knocked away Mylo's relatively weak attacks easily, forced his way through her defenses, then kicked her powerfully in the midsection. She was sent flying back, rolling once, and struggling to get up. Iroh ran towards them, hoping to intervene, his Firebending momentarily forgotten. Ghul lifted a large rock out of the ground, intent on finishing off one of his opponents once and for all.

Iroh saw Mylo wince, unable to defend herself.

Then a flame hit Ghul from out of nowhere. The Earthbender hissed, clutching his burned shoulder. The rock dropped down next to him, forgotten. All three of the combatants turned to see none other than Prince Ozai, who looked as shocked as anyone else.

"Ozai! What are you doing here? You should be getting to safety!" Iroh remarked. He knew that he should be thanking Ozai, after he had saved Mylo's life, but all he could thank about in that moment was how recklessly his brother had put himself in danger. What was he thinking?

"Seems like you shouldn't be complaining." Ozai said proudly. "You guys were getting your butts handed to you."

"So that's your little brother, huh?" Mylo remarked to him. Ghul had backed away from the three Firebenders, and Mylo had gotten up and regrouped with the two Fire Nation Princes.

"Yeah. Today, that prince gets to be your hero." Iroh replied.

Mylo rolled her eyes. "Oh, joy."

Ghul attacked again, sending a flying rock. The three of them dodged. Iroh worked his way to get around the Earth King, and saw Mylo doing the same thing in the other direction. Ghul looked genuinely worried now. Three opponents, and an injured shoulder, had changed the entire mood of the battle. Instead of the confident, brutal, powerful Earthbender they had faced before, Ghul was now jumpy, timid, and fearful. Predator had become prey.

"Give up." Mylo said. "You're injured. You aren't going to win."

"Yeah, I'm injured." Ghul said with a snarl. "I didn't freaking notice!" Even so, he glanced at his shoulder with worry. His opposite hand was holding it, as if it would spill out if he wasn't keeping it in.

"She's right." Iroh said. " You can't win. But if you give up, I promise you will be treated fairly in the Fire Nation."

"Treated fairly?" Ghul laughed. "In the Fire Nation? Do you really believe that?"

"She?" Ozai asked aloud. His eyes darted over to Mylo, confused.

"Iroh also turned his attention to Mylo. "I'm so sorry!"

"Dammit Iroh!" Mylo said. "Couldn't you have just kept quiet for one damn min-" They all suddenly froze when Ghul flicked his wrist.

Iroh barely saw in time a small, brown blur fly through the air. Suddenly Mylo fell to her knees, her hands clutching her throat. Blood oozed out as Mylo made choking noises. A trail of blood leaked out the left corner of her mouth, dripping down to the hard cobblestone one drop at a time. Iroh could see completely through the hole that had been torn into Mylo's throat. The same dark grey cobble was on the other side. Iroh could even see the fear, the confusion, the panic in Mylo's eyes. Then she collapsed, a small pool of blood growing around her.

She was dead.