As the horde of green uniforms and gray machines approached, filling the hilly barrens that led to the Kensaki Pass, Izumi wondered once more if there was not another way to resolve this ugliness. Perhaps Kuvira could still be reasoned with? Convinced to live and let live? Perhaps Korra could-

Izumi pushed the thought from her mind grimly. If there was a way to prevent this madness, then it would have happened already. Their course was locked; the battle was inevitable at this point. How many families would grieve after this engagement, she wondered? Throughout the Fire Nation and Earth Nation, families would mourn brothers, fathers, daughters, sisters, mothers, and sons who would never return from the bloody rock-fields of Kensaki Pass. No doubt there were thousands on both sides who, if given the option, would have rather remained at home.

The hatch to the observation deck slammed open, startling Izumi slightly. Ayuko simply glanced over tiredly, unflinching. A tired-looking messenger finished his mad dash up the stairs, panting.

"Word...from… Republic City… ma'am. Kuvira's forces… they've arrived in force… evacuation still underway."

Izumi frowned.

"I had hoped they would have finished the evacuation by now. Spirits. We'll have to hope that Avatar Korra and the others can get everyone to safety."

She nodded towards the messenger.

"Thank you, Private. Keep us updated."

Izumi peered through her field glasses again, taking stock of the enemy army and suppressing the instinct to flee for her life. As she had feared, the Fire Nation was severely outnumbered. The enemy host looked to be five times larger than hers, and had more benders in all likelihood.

"How many do you think?"

Ayuko muttered something to one of her staff before looking back through her own field glasses.

"I make 20,000, your Highness. Maybe more."

Izumi shook her head.

"20,000 against 5,000. It's madness."

Ayuko sighed.

"Should we withdraw?"

Suddenly, a strange, loud, and low-pitched sound echoed through the mountains shaking her bones and leaving her feeling slightly nauseous, as if she had been on a rocking ship for the last few hours. She looked around the room in confusion, but her confusion seemed to be shared by the rest of the officers.

Izumi shook her head slowly, knowing full well that to fight would mean death for most of her army. Those that survived would be thrust into prison camps in the Earth Empire, and Kuvira would have the perfect excuse to attack the Fire Nation, if she so desired. It was a hopeless situation, but Izumi could see no other way.

"If we withdraw now, the Avatar and the United Forces will get flanked. We hold as long as possible. We have no other choice."

Ayuko nodded grimly.

"Well then, I suggest we-"

An operator behind them manning a radio station cursed loudly, standing quickly.

"Report," Ayuko said.

The man closed his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief.

"The giant mecha-suit just obliterated the fleet in Yue Bay. President Raiko just surrendered the city to Kuvira."

"What of my son?" she asked sharply.

The man shook his head.

"I apologize, your Highness. I haven't heard anything."

Izumi looked at Ayuko pointedly, pushing aside her fear and doubt. Iroh was a capable soldier who could take care of himself. He had his job, and she had hers, despite every fiber of her body screaming at her, telling her to leave this folly behind, retrieve her son, and return home.

"Get the other Generals into the tower as soon as you can, and let me know as soon as you know more."

She descended the stairs rapidly for a minute or two before pushing open the door and emerging into the crisp air. Smoke rose from Republic City beyond the mountains like jet-black tendrils of death grasping the sky. Nio followed her from behind as she made her way to her tent. Yosai and Hyuk were both grimly strapping on their bright red armor. Updated versions of the armor worn during the Great War, they still cut an imposing sight, and were the last uniforms to incorporate the leering skull faceplate into the helmet that had once been synonymous with the Fire Nation. Perhaps it would strike fear into the hearts of the Earth Empire.

"I need one of you to get back to Republic City and report to me what's going on. I need to know if Kuvira's forces are going to cut us off from behind, where the United Forces are, and what Avatar Korra and the airbenders are doing."

The two men looked at each other, and Hyuk stepped forward, bowing.

"It would be my honor, Your Highness."

Izumi nodded.

"Get it done, Hyuk, and make it back in one piece. We're counting on you."

Hyuk nodded, then shot a grin at Yosai.

"And I'll be sure to pick up some proper grub we can all eat when this is all over."

With that, he saluted and sprinted over towards the rows of parked jeeps and trucks. Izumi turned away, looking at Yosai and Nio.

"You two, stay with me. When the battle begins, I think you know where I'm going. Whether or not you come with me is up to you. You are under no obligation to me, and I won't hold it against you if you leave."

Yosai and Nio remained still, and Izumi took that as affirmation that they were committed to what was to come.

A loud thrumming noise from above caught Izumi's attention, and she looked up to see the five combat airships she had at her disposal moving towards the frontline like the lion-turtles of legend, bristling with cannons and bomb bays. The Earth Empire had more ships, of course, but the Fire Nation had been the some of the first to use airships in combat, after the famous Mechanist of the Northern Air Temple, of course.

She looked back at her guards, her face serious.

"I'm going back to the main tower. Do whatever you can to help."


"We can't fight this on our own," Kasin said. "We just don't have the manpower, your Highness. I apologize, but if President Raiko surrendered, then-"

"Just because that coward abandoned all hope immediately doesn't mean we should. What has the Avatar decided? I'd sooner follow her lead than that inept fool Raiko," Ohta snapped.

Ayuko glanced out the large windows of the observation deck again at the approaching army.

"There's not even a guarantee that we can hold out against that army. If Kuvira sends mechs or airships to harass our rear, then we'll be surrounded. Then, they can just batter us into submission, and the homeland will be that much weaker," she pointed out.

Izumi closed her eyes, thinking. Each of her generals spoke wisely, but it was up to her to make the ultimate decision. A decision that could spell certain doom for five thousand men and women. The deep, resonant bellow shivered through the Pass once more, setting Izumi's teeth on edge. She assumed that meant the spirit cannon had fired again, and she once again prayed to the Spirits that her son and the Avatar were still alive.

The generals and their staff looked in the direction of Republic City in horror as fresh pillars of smoke billowed into the clear air.

"It seems that Kuvira doesn't intend to accept Raiko's surrender. So we fight. Lead your men as best we can. What we do today will echo through the annals of history. For the Fire Nation!"

Her generals nodded and saluted before leaving hurriedly to lead their divisions.

She looked through her field glasses again, inspecting the Earth Empire army again. They were much closer now, and Izumi could make out ranks of men in silver armor- metalbenders- and even more in plain green uniforms, signifying normal earthbenders- at least, that was what her intelligence reports had indicated. Several platoons of mecha-suits, tanks, and a wing of airships also augmented the enemy army, all of which were newer and more numerous than her own armor and artillery forces.

She put down her glasses, peering down the tall observation tower at the Fire Nation defenses.

The trenches were as ready as they would ever be. The first was the best fortified- heavy wooden beams reinforced the walls, while platinum-plated gray bunkers poked out from the pale ground every few dozen feet, each one housing either firebomb throwers or firebending-cannons. The second was similar to the first, and had pits where the Mark 5 Tundra Tanks sat, ready to fire. Behind the secondary line was the the final line; mostly support, and manned by her few reserve battalions of Firebenders and the majority of her nonbender forces and support forces such as medics and engineers.

She prayed it would be enough, glancing at General Ayuko. Despite her initial discomfort with the woman, given her years of working with Maeda, she had come to trust and respect the succinct woman, perhaps out of necessity more than anything else. If they survived, there would be more time to get to know her afterwards. If not, well... it wouldn't matter then.

"Ready?"

Ayuko smirked, inspecting the enemy with her own field glasses.

"More than ready. Though it looks like they're sending an envoy. Maybe we scared them enough to surrender right away."

Izumi saw the jeep with the fluttering white flag speeding towards them, and descended the stairs, Nio and Yosai following her.

She saluted to the staff in the command center in the base of the tower and entered the bright sunlight once more, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the brightness. She passed a large wheeled firebomb thrower, briefly admiring the fearsome dragon's head on the artillery piece before reminding herself that all the metal artillery was both far from the frontlines and guarded by squads of firebenders, while the tanks had platinum reinforcements to hamper metalbending.

Not that it would protect against determined metalbenders for long, but it might just give them enough time to wreak havoc.

She entered the third trench, trading salutes and handshakes to the soldiers she passed. At length, after navigating the complex trench system, she reached the top and peered through a periscope offered by a hard-faced lieutenant, before clambering up the ladder, ignoring the protests of Nio and some of the soldiers.

She stepped over the barbed wire gingerly, approaching the parked jeep. The soldier had his blank metal helmet held in the crook of his arm, and he saluted stiffly as Izumi approached.

"Firelord Izumi. My name is Colonel Tsing. I'm General Han's second in command. I am here to provide terms of your surrender."

Izumi glanced at Nio with a smirk, who looked more than intimidating in her crimson Imperial Firebender uniform.

"Go on, Colonel."

Tsing retrieved a piece of paper from his jeep.

"To Firelord Izumi, commander of the outmatched Fire Nation forces, from General Han, commander of the Second Army, Earth Empire Armed Forces. The terms are as follows: One, turn over all tanks, airships, vehicles, and conventional weapons to Earth Empire forces. Benders will be supervised by Earth Empire benders until such a time as the United Republic completely capitulates. Two, the Fire Nation troops will swear an oath of nonagression for a period of no less than one month. Three, upon swearing this oath, Fire Nation troops will be allowed to return to their home country, except for the Fire Lord, who shall remain an honored guest of the Great Uniter, Kuvira, until such a time as the loyalty of the Fire Nation can be guaranteed."

He put the paper back, and stood at attention again, between two large armies preparing to fight to the end.

"So you want us to surrender, promise we won't attack you for invading our allies, and you want me to be your hostage until the Fire Nation allies with Kuvira."

The man said nothing, shifting uncomfortably.

"Very well. Here is my response to General Han, commander of the Second Army, Earth Empire Armed Forces: No Way."

The Colonel blanched, and Izumi hopped back into her trench without awaiting a response, chuckling with Nio. The soldiers who had been listening started cheering and laughing, repeating 'No Way!' joyously. She made her way to the center of the front trenchline and climbed the parapet, breathing deeply as more firebenders joined her on the ramparts, each one readying their bending, each with a different favored stance. Nio made her way to a radio set as men sprinted through the trench.

"Your Highness, General Ayuko says the enemy is on the move. Two divisions," she said, after listening to the receiver intently.

Izumi nodded, and felt the adrenaline and energy flowing through her body. It was that dangerous, electrifying feeling she both loved and hated in equal measure. There was no turning back now.

"Let's pour it on 'em, boys!" Shouted a captain a few squads down from Izumi's position, and a great cheer went up from the soldiers.

With that, she rose above the dirt rampart, and unleashed fury upon the charging earthbenders.