The city of Agna Qel'a knew that the Fire Nation would be on their doorstep soon. It had been three weeks since the Avatar and his friends arrived at the Northern Water Tribe, which meant that the Fire Nation naval fleet would arrive any day.
For the last four days, both the warriors and waterbenders had been awaiting signs of the attack. The waterbender force was positioned along the frozen wall overlooking the city, preparing for a strike, while the warriors waited in the military quarters, awaiting further instruction.
Some of the warrior men were sparring to fill the time – others were sitting around the compound, waiting idly.
Meili found herself in one of the training rooms of the base, watching as some of the warriors clashed and clinked weapons together in practice. She, herself, was sitting in the corner of the room, attempting to find some form of isolation within the military grounds.
Most of Meili's time had been spent helping General Tahnuk, even after training hours were over, as she was trying to keep herself busy.
Aang and Katara had been practicing their waterbending nonstop for the past few days, too focused on perfecting their last-minute studies before the fleet arrived, so it's not like Meili could've hung out with them anyways.
And Sokka … well, Meili was purposefully not seeing much of him.
Two weeks – that was how long she had been avoiding him for. No quick glances, or conversations, or dinner plans … nothing. It was the most successful she had ever been at ignoring the boy. And honestly, the break was making her come back to her senses … because nothing lately had been making sense with Sokka.
Things with Katara at least made somewhat sense. Katara made her feel safe … heard, which was why she knew so many of Meili's secrets. And nothing weird happened when Katara was around. Even things with Aang weren't confusing. The monk was kind, caring … despite not knowing all her flaws, he still accepted Meili.
But when it came to Sokka, the lines between their relationship had become blurred. Meili had no control over how she felt around him, a phenomenon that made Meili feel on edge. Because of her past, she couldn't afford to place her trust in others, but the overwhelming urge to let down her guard around Sokka was alarming.
The idiotic boy, who she saw trip over his own feet during sparring sessions the day before, should not have spent so much time in her mind – especially when there were more pressing matters to worry about. However, she just couldn't block out thoughts of Sokka from her head.
For instance, with the battle coming up, Meili couldn't shake the feeling of panic as it sat unsettled in her chest. What if something happened to Sokka during the battle? What if he got hurt? Or captured? Why did her brain even think of those things? She was trying to ignore him!
To make matters worse, Meili wasn't entirely sure how to help Aang connect to the spirits. What if she failed, and the entire Northern Water Tribe fell because of her incompetence? Would Aang be disappointed in her? Would he … perish?
Meili, herself, might not make even it out of the battle alive, which was another troubling thought plaguing her mind.
Monk Gyatso said the future was everchanging – nothing was ever set in stone. This meant that this siege at the Northern Water Tribe could be Meili's last memory of her life – if something went wrong, she could very well die.
Meili didn't do too well with feelings, so she secluded herself from others during her childhood. Feelings made her dependent on others. And all she needed was herself.
Even now, she had too many people to think of.
Jai was out in there in some unbeknownst Earth Kingdom city with Geun, and Meili was concerned about how they were doing on their travels. And now, she was fearful for Katara and Aang's safety because of the upcoming siege. The thought of them getting hurt in battle made Meili's stomach churn anxiously.
And the nightmares that had been haunting her dreams for the last week – the ones where Sokka laid lifeless, unmoving, covered in his own blood at the hands of a Fire Nation soldier – reminded her that feelings only made people weak.
"Hey, it's Meili, right?"
A voice suddenly interrupted her melancholy thoughts, and seafoam eyes moved up to lock onto a tall Water Tribe boy now standing in front of her.
"Yes. And you are?"
The boy grinned, his figure looming over her own, as he stuffed his hands casually into his pockets. She remembered him from the first day of training and had seen him around the military grounds a few times, though she couldn't put a name to the face.
"The name's Sitka, Northern Water Tribe."
Oh yeah, that was his name, Meili remembered: he was one of Hahn's lackeys.
Sitka's posture was off in a way, his form being analyzed by Meili's scrutinizing eyes. While he seemed to be lazily standing around, his face resembled an animal watching its prey. However, instead of it intimidating her, Meili merely felt irked.
"I mean, I assumed you were Northern Water Tribe. Your clothes, hairstyle, complexion…."
He let out a small chuckle, rubbing the bottom of his stubbled chin. "Perceptive and snarky, huh?"
She gazed at him, eyes dull. "No, just observant."
"So…" Sitka trailed off, rocking back on the heels of his feet. "Do you want to spar?"
Meili's gaze fell past the boy, hovering over the other partners sparring in the small room. She hadn't done much that day besides help set out armor and go over battle strategies with General Tahnuk. And her legs were beginning to grow numb from sitting down for so long.
"You, know, why not…" she mumbled lowly, getting up from her spot. Maybe sparring would be a good distraction from the gloom hanging around her head. She locked eyes with Sitka. "Let's go."
They picked out their weapons: Sitka went for a long whale's tooth scimitar while Meili grabbed a medium-sized wolf dagger. She had become familiar with the Water Tribe weapons over the past few weeks, and she learned that they were pretty different than those of the Earth Kingdom.
Butterfly swords and timber daggers didn't have the same craftsmanship as the Water Tribe weaponry, which was delicately constructed from arctic materials. It almost made Meili sad to use such beautiful weaponry, knowing it would be messed up in battle.
Meili and Sitka walked to one of the open spaces of the room, standing opposite of one another. Skipping formalities, they immediately took a few turns taking shots, dodging and blocking each other's attacks. Meili was too impatient, wanting the solemn thoughts to disappear from her mind.
As they sparred, Meili was acutely aware of Sitka's height, which seemed over a foot taller than hers, as she parried his attacks.
"So, Is Sokka your boyfriend?"
"Excuse me?" she faltered, stumbling in her spot. Meili couldn't completely miss his blade, and a small nick tattered into her shirt as the weapon slid past her. "What did you say?"
"You're a smart girl…" Sitka retorted, retracting his weapon. "I know you heard me."
Meili clutched her arm, her brows falling rigid with tense. "No, he is not. And that was a stupid question."
"Stupid, how?"
"You can't distract me," she spoke before lunging and sending an attack his way once more.
They collided weapons for a few turns, and Meili had to admit that he was talented with his blade. She was used to shorter weapons, so combating against his long scimitar was a change she wasn't used to. And it left her defenses open more frequently than she would like.
"You've got a strong arm."
She dodged the tip of the whale's tooth, counterattacking his swing by colliding her dagger with his blade. Their arms shook as they tried to push one another off, neither one lifting from their stalemate.
"I wouldn't be a good fighter if I didn't."
Sitka smirked. "I think being strong is attractive."
"It won't be too attractive when I have you pinned to the ground with a knife against your throat."
He was talking too much. And she didn't like it. Meili pushed harder into her grip, annoyed by the devilish grin plastered upon Sitka's face.
"Are you trying to make me blush?"
She blinked rapidly, her grip weakening for a split second. "No?"
"Good. Your boyfriend, Sokka, wouldn't like that … would he?"
Meili felt her blood go hot with embarrassment and anger, not appreciating the insinuations spilling from Sitka's lips. She gritted her teeth, throwing the boy away from her with a flick of her dagger. Sitka stumbled backward, catching his footing with a hard stomp.
"Like I said: He's not my boyfriend," Meili reiterated. "Don't say those kinds of things to me while we're sparring."
Sitka suddenly switched his tone from inimical to calm, relaxing his posture ever so slightly as he leaned his weight onto his weapon. "I'm just trying to prepare you for anything the Fire Nation may throw your way. They don't play fair. They can use things in your life against you."
"Well, I don't care," Meili bit out. "I'll deal with that if it happens. I just want to focus on combat training."
"Why?" Sitka questioned slyly, his mouth moving back into a sinister smirk. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze boring into hers. "Trying to keep your mind off of a dorky Southern Tribe guy?"
Meili clenched her teeth, gripping her dagger roughly before flicking her wrist upward. Quickly, the weapon soared past Sitka, barely missing his cheek, as it sank into a target pinned against the icy training room wall.
"You're quite antagonistic, aren't you?" Meili's words came out like a hiss.
Sitka turned to look at the dagger behind him, the blade sunk deep within the center circle of the target, landing straight on a bullseye. He whistled lowly, turning back to the girl.
"Just trying to have some light-hearted fun. After all, who knows if we're even going to survive this attack." Sitka's eyes roamed over Meili once before he grinned. "So, if you're not dating Sokka, you should know that I'm available."
Meili scowled at his proposition, annoyed that the image of her dating Sokka was now plastered around her mind. "Yeah, no thanks. I'm not available to anyone."
"Whatever you say."
Suddenly, General Tahnuk entered the room, barking out orders to assemble in the main quarters. Apparently, black snow had started to fall from the sky, meaning that Fire Nation soot was mixing with the arctic air.
"Looks like it's time for us to stop sparring," Sitka spoke softly, though a teasing tone rang throughout his words.
Thankful for the interruption, Meili left her encounter with Sitka to gather up her stuff from the corner of the room. Once General Tahnuk left for the main quarters, everyone filed out of the training room behind him, including Sitka, whose grin had not once left his face.
However, despite the boy leaving, Sitka's morose words remained in her mind: Meili didn't know who was going to survive this Fire Nation attack. Lives were going to be lost, and no one knew just who would survive.
Her life, Aang's life – Katara's, Sokka's… their lives could all be lost.
In the main quarters, General Tahnuk placed himself at the front of the room, his presence serious and commanding. The warriors filed in, taking their seats on the floor. Meili put herself in the back of the room, hoping the distance would calm the dark nightmares of defeat playing viciously in her mind.
"The day we have feared for so long has arrived," General Tahnuk announced, his gaze roaming around the faces in the room. "The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness to see you all here before me, knowing that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe."
Meili scoured the room for a familiar ponytail, and soon enough, her eyes locked onto the back of Sokka's form on the other side of the room. She was thankful that she couldn't see his face, part of Meili anxious to meet his eyes once again.
Her chest felt that strange sensation of tightness as she thought about Sokka engaging in battle, the same panicked pain from earlier. It was as if only now, with black snow falling outside, that she could feel the weight of the battle on her shoulders.
General Tahnuk slapped a fist over his heart, eyes solemn, drawing attention back to him. "Thank you for volunteering three weeks ago to be a part of this mission, warriors. As we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits. Spirit of the Ocean … Spirit of the Moon … Be with us!"
"Be with us!" the Northern Water Tribe men in the room echoed, placing fists over their hearts as well. Meili mimicked their actions.
"Come forward to receive the mark of the warrior, men, as the spirits join us to defeat the enemy!" General Tahnuk finished.
Slowly, one by one, the warriors rose and walked forward into line, awaiting their red-painted mark. Once they received the face painting, they left the room to prepare for battle. Meili placed herself at the back of the line, waiting for her turn.
Meili was silent as she stood, the sudden nervousness in her chest making her restless. Her fingers flexed and clenched at awkward intervals, and the sudden urge to crack her knuckles was overwhelming. Meili was sure, by then, that the inside of her cheek had been bitten raw.
And once the mark was painted on her face, everything suddenly became real. They were going into battle. As the general collected his belongings to move to the armory, Meili stood in her place, one of the last people in the room.
"General Tahnuk!" Meili called strainingly, waving down the man before he left.
The large man turned in his spot, his face remaining rigid, though a softness relaxed into his brow. "Sister Meili, what is it you need?"
Unsure of how to word her question, Meili bit the inside of her cheek as the man approached. By now, the taste of iron had flooded her mouth, resulting from the nervous mannerism. When General Tahnuk stopped in front of her, Meili let out a nervous, shaky breath.
"Either today or tomorrow, I know we'll be in a position where we'll be physically engaging with the Fire Nation."
General Tahnuk's gaze was steady but in a reliable and comforting sort of way. Meili knew what she was about to ask was selfish, maybe even impractical, but she had no choice. If Meili didn't ask the general this question, her intrusive thoughts would surely overwhelm her. Swallowing roughly, Meili opened her mouth to speak.
"Squad D of the warriors – I know they stay in the backline, used in cases of emergencies only..." The tightness in Meili's chest deepened as she bowed her head low. "Forgive me for asking, but I want Sokka to be grouped in that squad."
Meili stayed bowed, waiting for a reaction — waiting for a sound — but found herself hearing nothing at all. Instead, a soft breath echoed around the room, followed by General Tahnuk tutting softly.
Meili's chest lifted slowly, and she was greeted with a wistful gaze.
"I'm selfish, I know," Meili began to justify but was stopped by the commanding presence of General Tahnuk's hand motioning her to remain quiet.
"You know, Sister Meili, before the attacks began this afternoon, I had someone else ask me this same exact request."
"Really?" she questioned.
General Tahnuk nodded. "Yes. He asked that the person be kept safe, out of harm's way in these grueling battles ahead of us – even if he, himself, needed to be put on the frontlines to do so."
"There are a lot of loving brothers here in your tribe," Meili nodded. "I'm sure someone was trying to keep their sibling safe."
General Tahnuk's mouth moved slightly to the side, an action that seemed to falsify her words. "Sister Meili… I have only known you and your group for a few weeks now, but even I can see that you're blind to how you feel."
"I'm sorry… I'm not sure I understand."
General Tahnuk sighed, placing a large hand atop her shoulder. "Sokka of the Southern Tribe asked to position you in Squad D, even if it meant him being put on the front lines of Squad A. I understand the way you two feel about each other, but it's simply something I cannot do."
There was a pause as Meili registered General Tahnuk's words.
"Sokka did?" she repeated.
Meili wasn't sure if she was more shocked or angry. Who did Sokka think he was, doing that behind her back? Did Sokka really think he could just drive her crazy for over a month and then suddenly control what she could do?
"You two know more about the Fire Nation than half of my men here combined," General Tahnuk said roughly. "I know you guys are kids, but our best chance of winning means having you two in the leading squads."
"I understand," Meili said tersely, though her mind was far from being attentive to the general.
Did Sokka think she was that incapable of defending herself? Did he think she was weak because of how she acted around him? Did he not trust her to protect the tribe?
General Tahnuk moved his hand off Meili's shoulder. "The best I can do is to move you both to Squad B. You won't be on the frontlines, but you'll still engage the Fire Nation head-on."
"Thank you," Meili said politely, bowing gently in front of her elder before fleeing the room.
Though she couldn't tell if she was stunned from shock or anger, Meili was sure about one thing: Oh, she was going to have a word with Sokka. This little stunt had crossed the line.
Meili didn't care if she was being hypocritical asking General Tahnuk for the same thing Sokka did. Because this meant Sokka thought she was incompetent … With Meili confiding in him, sharing all those weird moments, it made him see her as weak.
And after everything she had been through in life, Meili couldn't afford to be weak.
Meili immediately checked the armory, knowing that was where most of the men were preparing for battle. However, Sokka wasn't in there. Meili cursed inwardly, storming out of the room just as quickly as she had entered.
She left the military grounds, and just stepping out into the sun seemed to intensify her anger. The sky was peppered with sooty snow, falling onto the ground and staining the white roads below. Meili could faintly taste ash on her lips, remnants of the burned coal of the naval ships. The slight trace of fire made her jaw clench harder.
Storming into the open, Water Tribesmen were scattered along the streets, watching the snow with fear. Among them was a group of warriors, who were already suited up for battle. They stood in traditional wolf armor, though the helmets dangled loosely at their sides.
Meili could see Sokka's ponytail from there, no matter how far away she was. With quick feet, she moved through the crowd of people. She didn't care how roughly she approached Sokka or grabbed his wrist and whisked him away: all Meili knew was that she was furious.
"Hey, what's the big idea—"
She dragged him through the snow, yanking him behind one of the neighboring buildings. For the first time in two weeks, she met his eyes. But unlike before, she didn't melt under the steely gaze of sapphire gems: She stood angry. And Sokka could tell she was enraged, burning with a strange heat that seemed to radiate from her body.
"Are you kidding me?" Meili all but screamed, aggressively shoving him in the chest. His helmet clanked towards the ground, burrowing into the dirty, gray snow below.
Sokka clenched his jaw roughly. "Look, I have more important things to do right now than to listen to you yell at me."
Meili let out a snort. "Oh, like what? Running to General Tahnuk and having him bench me from the battle?"
Sokka narrowed his eyes, shocked. "How did you—"
"Save it. I know everything," Meili spoke roughly. She could feel the chi in her hands flickering bright, ready to explode. "I can take care of myself. So stay out of my way."
"Not everything is about you, Meili," Sokka chastised, crossing his arms. "Have you ever stopped to think about that?"
"No." Meili moved closer to him, pointing a finger toward his chest. "Because you're one of the only people I've opened up to in a long time, and this is how you repay me. You kick me out of the fight because you think I'm just some small, meek girl that can't defend this city."
"That's not why I did it." Sokka shook his head. "Maybe if you stopped your girly overreacting and listened to me, I could explain myself."
"You did not just say that …"
And with a lack of self-control, empowered by anger, she tackled him. Sokka landed roughly on his back, not expecting the sudden attack. They rolled on the ground in a struggle for a few seconds, but Sokka could tell that something was off with Meili. This rage was different than the anger he had seen before. Meili was frightening in an otherworldly sort of way.
Finally, Sokka sighed and quit the brawl, letting Meili pin him to the ground.
"Are you done yet?" he questioned, extremely unamused. Sokka gazed upward into her fiery eyes, and locks of her black curly hair dangled wildly in his face. "You're acting ridiculous."
"The only thing ridiculous here is you," Meili bit back, tightening her grip on his wrists. "You don't get to make decisions about my life."
"I don't remember asking for permission."
Meili glared at him. "Well, you don't have it. So stop trying to meddle in my life."
Sokka sighed at her words.
For the past two weeks, he hadn't seen much of the girl. Meili was avoiding him: he knew that much, and why? … Well, Sokka didn't know.
He thought he had done everything right the night of their sushi date – if that's what it even was. It was the first time he had made himself truly vulnerable around a girl, and her avoidance was almost like a slap in the face. Sokka was honestly very hurt by how Meili had been treating him, especially when she seemed to want something more.
However, while the constant hot and cold of their relationship should've driven him away, it didn't – it should have made him want nothing to do with her. But, instead, the distance only multiplied the number of thoughts he had of her.
Her hair, her smile, the closeness of her body to his … the images constantly played in his mind like a never-ending taunt. Meili was starting to drive him crazy. Crazier than Katara had ever driven him back at home! And the only way to stop him from going crazy was to take Meili out of the equation altogether. But, she was never supposed to find out about his plan.
Sokka figured if Meili found out, she would be mad, but he never thought she would be this furious.
Her lips were pulled thinly into a frown, her eyebrows knotted together in a terrible scowl. Her cheeks were bright red because of her adrenaline-controlled outburst, causing a vein to define itself along the smooth plane of her forehead.
But this anger annoyed him. Meili's emotions were constantly all over the place. And honestly, it was starting to wear him down. Sokka could only put up with so much back and forth, and right now, with the gloom of battle hanging over his head, Meili's current outburst was only exasperating him.
"Look: I did it to protect you, okay? I know you're strong enough, but I don't want –" Sokka exhaled as if contemplating how to say his words. "I don't want to be put in a position where I can't protect you. If something happened to you, and I couldn't save you – I don't know what I would do."
Meili's breath hitched, knowing that Sokka's explanation took the words right out of her mouth. She felt exactly how he was feeling, and part of her felt bad for being a hypocrite, knowing that at the end of the day, he was just as scared of this battle as she was.
"You would be fine, okay?" Meili spoke, her voice still harsh but quieter now. "Because that wouldn't happen. I can take care of myself."
Sokka's face was dull, clearly annoyed. "You know, you make it really hard to care about you."
"I never asked for you to care for me."
Meili huffed, getting off the boy and rolling over to the ground beside him to sit. She pulled her legs up to her chest, leaning her chin on the crevice between her knees. She watched the soot-coated snow land onto her boots, melting once it touched the leather.
Sokka sat himself up. "How did you find out anyway? That I asked to have you moved?"
Meili looked over at him, his curious eyes boring into hers. It was a genuine question, one she didn't expect for him to ask.
"General Tahnuk told me, obviously."
She turned her head to avoid eye contact once again. It was typical of her to push him away like that, but Sokka couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something from him.
"Yeah, but why?"
"No reason." Meili's response came out short and blunt.
Sokka narrowed his eyes at her. Her posture, her tone of voice, the defensiveness … something wasn't adding up. "You're lying."
"No, you're just nosey," Meili barked out, burrowing her face into the crevice between her knees. "You don't have to know everything about my life."
Sokka's mind replayed his conversation with Princess Yue all those nights ago. He thought of the turtle seals and their defensive nature derived from fear, comparing them to his current interaction with Meili.
Sure, Meili was angry, but Sokka started connecting the dots as to why she was angry. Meili always said he made her feel crazy, and over the past two weeks, Sokka knew just how she felt. And so … if he couldn't keep his thoughts from straying to her, it meant she had not stopped thinking about him either.
The distance, the anger … it was all a reflection of her own fears – the same fears as his.
"You asked General Tahnuk to do the same thing, didn't you?"
Sokka's inquiry immediately perked her head up, especially since his tone was slightly teasing. "Ha! You think I would go out of my way to talk about you to the general?"
Sokka was calm, not falling for the bait. "I do."
Meili's mouth remained open, hoping a rebuttal would work its way to her mouth, but she couldn't find the words. "Look, the general put us both in Squad B. So just make sure you stay out of my way."
"Meili," he spoke quietly, placing a hand atop hers. "I told you before that I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to be afraid."
Meili felt her face go warm at his touch. "I'm not scared of anything. Especially not some Fire Nation soldiers."
"It's alright," Sokka said softly. He grabbed her hand in his own, moving to hold it in between both of his gloved hands. "I'm scared, too."
The woolen mitts warmed her fingers, and surprisingly, it wasn't Sokka's touch that was making Meili's cheeks flush red.
His eyes were sincere, kind, like the calm before the storm. His shared fragility made her feel less alone, less worried – more human than just some … monster.
"It's all going to be okay, alright?" Sokka smiled, pulling Meili close to him. "We're going to get through this."
Meili ignored the snow soaking through her tunic as her body moved toward Sokka's. Their legs just barely touched as she was pulled right next to him.
"You don't know that," Meili whispered, images of her dreams flashing vividly across her mind. Sokka bleeding, injured, wounded, dead.
She felt his gloves squeeze her hand.
"I'll make sure of it," Sokka reassured.
This was Sokka's real first testament to war. This was his big moment as a man to prove himself worthy. It was a chance for him to be a valiant warrior like his father, to protect the people he loved. It was a chance to right his previous wrongs, to protect Meili from being hurt by the Fire Nation this time around, unlike the time at the abbey.
The moment was interrupted by the bang of a drum, which echoed around the city. Both the teens knew it was the signal to prepare for battle.
"We should go," Meili said lowly, drawing her hand from his grasp, even though she didn't want to. If she had a choice, she would've stayed there with him, feeling his comfort, even though she knew he needed to be kept at a distance.
"Yeah," Sokka agreed, his voice low.
They both got up, ignoring the anxious rush of adrenaline pumping through their hearts. Meili watched Sokka grab his helmet, putting it on before walking away. She watched his figure retreat to the busy streets, and she paused for a moment, waiting for his form to disappear into the crowd.
Meili shook her head, biting her lip roughly. Her eyes stung bitterly. Sokka reassured her, but for some reason, it only made her feel sad.
She didn't deserve him. Meili didn't deserve his selflessness, his willingness to go into battle for her. She didn't deserve his whispers of reassurance.
Meili quickly wiped her eyes before anything could spill out from them.
Quickly, she left back toward the military grounds to get armored up, praying to the spirits that nothing would go wrong. Praying that Sokka was right. Praying that they would get through this.
When the black snow began to fall from the sky, Aang knew that trouble was on its way. A few minutes after the first sighting of sooty snow, the banging of drums rang out across the city. For the non-bending women and children, it was a call to hide; it was a call to battle for everyone else.
"How long do you think it'll take for them to get here?" Katara questioned, standing next to Aang on top of the city's icy wall.
The monk looked out over the ocean in front of them.
"I'm not sure, but from the looks of this snow, I think there's a lot of them."
Master Pakku walked over slowly to join his students. His hands were folded carefully behind his back, his gaze distant but wise. "The stillness before battle is unbearable. Such a quiet dread."
"Have you experienced this before?" Katara inquired curiously.
"When I was younger, the Fire Nation tried to search for the Avatar here," Master Pakku spoke lowly. "They figured since all the Air Nomads were gone, the Avatar would be reborn into one of the Water Tribes. They tried to raid our land but were met with failure every time. After a while, they stopped."
Aang's eyes grew sad at the mention of his people. The Air Nomad pendant that had been tucked into the furs of his Water Tribe jacket felt heavy upon his neck.
"They're going to be stopped," Aang announced in confidence. "I won't let them hurt this city."
Katara smiled, believing his words.
"Avatar!" Someone suddenly called, and the three waterbenders turned to see a warrior boy scaling the staircase to the wall. "We have your bison prepared should you need him."
Aang thanked the young man, looking over the side of the wall into the city, seeing his fury bison sitting comfortably. When Appa took notice of his owner's presence, he let out a hearty roar in greeting.
"Come join me up here, buddy!" Aang said with a smile. Appa happily obliged, flicking his tail powerfully, propelling himself into the air.
Appa landed atop the icy wall, his weight sending vibrations all along the border. Aang was just happy to see his bison, unaffected by the shaking of the ground below him.
An hour passed quickly and quietly as the waterbenders waited for battle upon the wall. The final bang of the drums had just sounded, the last call for everyone besides the Water Tribe militia to find safe shelter.
The waterbenders were the key to a successful front line of defense as they were the only ones capable of ranged attacks. Aang was positioned in the center of the wall, perched upon Appa's saddle. He was looking for any sign of the Fire Nation, though the horizon remained silent.
But Aang's eyes squinted at the line where the ocean met the sky, where a dark, blurry shadow began to emerge. A strange object appeared in the distance, distorted by the soot-sleet haze in the sky, and although it was distant, the shadow seemed to be soaring closer.
Aang suddenly threw his hand out toward the people stationed on the wall.
"Move! It's a fireball!"
Unable to prepare a defensive attack quick enough, the waterbenders dove out of the way as the fireball rapidly approached, colliding into the wall at unfathomable speeds. Several people were sent flying away, unable to escape the damage to the wall.
Several more fireballs suddenly hurdled their way through the sky, launching through the air and lighting fire to the city.
"Waterbenders!" Master Pakku shouted. "Break into formation! Group C, go put out those fires in the inner city!"
The group nodded, running away quickly to go take care of the problem.
Master Pakku then turned to the remaining waterbenders. "Group B, stop those fireballs, and Group A, prepare the boats for an interception!"
Katara, who was among the group B members, sucked in a deep breath, following the other benders as they created a large column of water, freezing it and stopping an incoming fireball from hitting the wall again.
"I'm going to go stop them at the source!" Aang exclaimed, airbending himself on top of Appa's head. "Let's go, buddy! Yip yip!"
Appa lifting off into the air, taking flight toward the fleet. Aang caught view of the first ship and immediately moved the reins in the direction of the vessel.
The Fire Nation ship recognized the flying bison and redirected the fireball launchers toward the beast instead of the Northern Water Tribe. Gathering a massive gust of wind behind his glider, Aang whipped his staff forward, sending the fireball towards one of the icy cliffs on the outskirts of the city.
Aang looked down once more at the ship, his eyes falling upon the machine launching the fiery boulders. If he just took out that machine, he could protect the wall! Aang hopped down from Appa's head with a plan in mind, propelling himself into the fray of battle.
As he landed upon the ship's hull, Aang swept a strong gust of wind in an arc on the floor, knocking several of the ship's men onto the ground. One of the Fire Nation soldiers noticed Aang's position, and the soldier slammed his weapon towards the monk. Flipping out of the way, Aang lifted himself into the sky with an explosion of air, taking advantage of his position to survey the ship's deck once more.
The trebuchet fireball launchers were positioned close together. The Fire Nation most likely did this to increase the number of trebuchets that could fit on each ship. As Aang landed back onto the ship's deck, he quickly ran to two launchers, locking their launch chains together.
"Take this!" he shouted, slamming his foot on the pedal activating the launchers. With the chains tangled together, the trebuchet pulled the other downward, causing them to crash into one another.
A Fire Nation soldier then moved to attack Aang, angered by the damage to their nation's machinery. However, Appa let out a mighty roar into the sky, swooping down to pick the man up before he could reach Aang. The bison grabbed the man with his teeth, throwing him into the ocean.
"Thanks, buddy!" Aang yelled with a smile, running over to the bison landing on the ship. Airbending himself back onto the bison's head, Aang sighed in relief as a giant ice spike began to pierce through the ship's deck.
Group A of the waterbenders was riding in their boats, circling around the Fire Nation vessel. They used their bending to suspend the ship in an icy trap, preventing it from moving anymore. A few more of the waterbenders propelled themselves onto the ship with funnels of water, landing on the deck and freezing any remaining soldiers in place.
"Nice job!" Aang grinned, flying Appa toward the small Water Tribe boats. "Let's go take out some more!"
The waterbenders yelled in agreement.
Feeling optimistic, Aang soared into the sky, wanting to look at what was in store for them. After taking out that last ship so quick, Aang was confident that he would stop the fleet from breaching the city.
That was until the whole fleet came into view.
Hundreds upon hundreds of ships were lined in neat rows, all loaded and weaponized like the one before. And suddenly, the confidence Aang felt vanished only to be replaced by a heart-stopping feeling of dread.
"You've got to be kidding me," he whispered in shock, his eyes darting from one loaded ship to the next.
It took Aang all day to take out a dozen ships, but it was just too much for him to handle. His drive was dwindling away, being replaced by nervousness.
Using his bending all day, with no food and water after a while, started to take a toll on him. Additionally, one of the boats of Water Tribe men had been taken out earlier that day, and the men aboard the ship had never come back up from the ocean, leaving Aang with a heavy feeling of guilt.
It wasn't until sunset hit over the horizon that Aang was able to rest. After sailing toward the city all morning, the Fire Nation ships suddenly stopped in their spots.
After several minutes of silence, the ships seemed to be at rest. Aang could faintly see anchors being thrown and fireball launchers ceasing fire. He fell limp inside Appa's saddle, letting out a rough sigh and relaxing his body for the first time that day.
"Head back to the wall, Appa," Aang mumbled lowly. Appa grumbled in response.
The bison flew over the horizon back toward the city, the waterbender ships trailing behind him in the ocean below. As they docked back inside the city, Appa landed on top of the ice wall.
"Aang!" the monk heard Katara call, but he was too tired to move. Slowly, he forced his body to stand and face the wall inhabitants. Katara's face looked angelic, even more so after seeing the things he saw that day. Using the last bits of energy he had, Aang airbended himself off Appa's saddle.
"They've stopped firing … for now," he spoke once his feet landed upon the ice, clearly out-of-breath.
"Aang!" Katara shouted, moving along the wall to capture Aang in a tight hug. "Are you alright? What happened?"
Aang sighed from within Katara's arms before pulling away. "I … I can't do it. There are so many of them. I had to of taken out at least twelve ships, but … there's just so many."
"What can we do to help, Avatar?" General Tahnuk questioned, standing at attention.
Aang noticed that with the Fire Nation failing to break ground, the general and some of the warrior squads were positioned along the wall, helping the injured waterbenders hit during the fireball attacks.
"For right now, we need everyone to rest," Aang answered, coughing lightly into the crook of his arm. After being around smoke all day, his lungs were tired and hoarse.
Master Pakku walked over to his student. "With it being nighttime, now is the best time to rest. Our strength comes from the spirit of the moon. Our life comes from the spirit of the ocean. Together, they give us waterbenders balance."
"The legends say that the moon was the first waterbender," General Tahnuk spoke. "Our tribe's ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides, and they learned how to do it themselves."
"That must be why they stopped attacking," Katara concluded. "Because our waterbending is stronger at night."
"You're exceptionally smart, Katara," Master Pakku praised, making the girl flush with pride.
"For now, Avatar," General Tahnuk spoke, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, "you need to get some rest. You may be our only hope of winning."
Feeling beaten, Aang sunk down to the ground. Katara knelt beside him, holding him in her arms to comfort him. Even though her touch was gentle, soft … it was the strongest sense of relief Aang felt all day.
Back at the house, Aang sighed in defeat, slumping down onto the couch quietly. Meili, who had already returned from her warrior squad, was waiting in the hallway, leaning against the doorframe. Remnants of her conversation with Sokka were etched into her face, demonstrated by her downturned mouth and forlorn brows.
She hadn't seen him since their conversation, but part of her feared that seeing him again would do more harm than good.
Katara followed after Aang through the door, worry evident on her face.
"Aang, it's going to be okay."
"You don't know that," he said lowly. "I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people. I want to know I'll make a difference this time around."
Katara took a seat in front of the couch next to Aang. "And you will."
"You didn't see it, Katara… There are so many ships," his voice quivered. "And if I don't take them all out, the city will be overrun with Fire Nation soldiers. We'll be outnumbered, and they'll be unstoppable."
"For once, I'm not being the pessimistic one," Meili spoke quietly, though Aang's lack of confidence provided no relief for her lingering angst.
Katara deadpanned. "You're not helping, Meili."
Meili sighed, feeling guilty about the ignorance of her joke. "I'm sorry … my sarcasm is kind of a reflex."
"It's alright. We're all just … tense," Katara said softly, though the word 'tense' was putting it lightly. "Aang isn't sure how he's going to stop this fleet. And I'm worried, too. If what Aang said is true, we're severely outnumbered."
"Thanks for the recap, Katara," Aang snapped, feeling overwhelmed with pressure.
"Well, I think I have some good news," Meili spoke, hoping to ease the growing tension. "I had a lot of free time today since the warriors were kind of on standby."
"Good news?" Katara questioned.
Meili nodded. "It's about my connection with Aang and my role in this battle... I think I figured out how to help."
"You can help?" Aang asked, quickly sitting up in his spot. "How? Please tell me!"
"I did a lot of thinking today …" Meili murmured, her voice slightly shaky. "And I know what that temple spirit meant at the Northern Air Temple."
Meili remembered her conversation with Monk Gyatso. Although his words were cryptic, she was sure she figured them out. She left her position from within the doorframe and walked over to the two waterbenders.
Meili cleared her throat, fiddling with her thumbs. "The temple spirit said I was the key for Aang to access the spirits, which means that the spirits must have a stake in this battle. They wouldn't have been brought up if they had no significance."
"That makes sense," Katara nodded. "Especially since the spirits know parts of the future, too."
"I… I think Aang needs the spirit's help to win this battle," Meili finished, turning to look at the monk. "I don't think you're supposed to do it on your own."
Aang suddenly paused. "Wait, that temple spirit must have been talking about the Avatar state."
"The Avatar state?" Meili repeated. "That's the thing you used during the storm to save Sokka and that fisherman… What exactly is it?"
"It's kind of like a defense mechanism, but it has only ever happened to me when I get really upset," Aang explained. He furrowed his brows. "I've always been told that control over the Avatar state requires spiritual enlightenment and concentration, which I don't have. I guess I need the spirits' help with that."
"There must be a way to link you and a spirit together, activating the Avatar state," Katara discerned.
"Well, here's the thing," Aang said hesitantly, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck. "Since I need to access the spirits for us to win, I'll have to enter the Spirit World … which I've only done once on accident and once with the help of Avatar Roku."
"On our way to the Northern Water Tribe, you said that you can meditate to get into the Spirit World, right?" Meili asked, taking a seat next to Katara on the floor.
"I mean, being the natural bridge between the two worlds, I'm supposed to be able to." Aang shook his head. "But every time I've tried, nothing happens. I guess I'm just not enlightened enough."
"You keep saying enlightenment," Meili noted. "What does that mean?"
"Growing up, the monks used to tell us that our society was centered around enlightenment. We must be able to detach ourselves from the world, freeing our spirit."
"Your spirit doesn't seem that free right now," Meili quipped.
"Of course not!" Aang shouted, suddenly jumping up from his spot on the couch. "I have a whole city expecting me to save them from this fleet – but I just can't! How can they put all that pressure on me? I'm only one kid!"
Katara reached out a hand to touch him. "Aang, it's going to be okay."
The Avatar turned toward Katara, his face angry. "You keep saying that, Katara – but how do you know that? How do you know that I'm not going to be a big failure? What if I can't cross over into the Spirit World? I'll let everyone I love down!"
In his anger, a gust of air began to flow out wildly from around him, blowing around Katara and Meili's hair. Silence took over the room as the wind died down. Katara dropped her hand back down into her lap.
"Aang, the reason you're not enlightened is because you're conflicted," Meili said evenly. "You keep having this constant battle with yourself, and I think I know why."
"You do?" Aang asked Meili earnestly. His eyes were large, pleading.
Meili nodded. "You won't be able to go into the Spirit World until you settle this turmoil within yourself. I mean, every time you talk with us, you say that you don't know if you're making the right decisions. Even back in that cave during the storm, you questioned running away from the monks."
"That's because of what happened afterward," Aang said softly. "I mean … look at what I threw this world into. I caused a hundred years of war. How was running away the right choice?"
Aang reached underneath his jacket to clutch the Airbender pendant sitting against his chest. He felt the grooves of the air insignia etched into the material, feeling like he let his people down.
"That's what I mean, though," Meili said. "Everything you've said about being a failure … it's because you lack confidence in the choices you make. It makes you question everything, and it affects your outlook on this war."
"How am I supposed to be confident when so much is at stake?" Aang questioned. "You guys always tell me to do what I think is right, but truthfully, I don't even know what's right anymore!"
Painful memories of Meili's past suddenly came rushing through her mind, like a hurricane of grief and anguish. Everything she was telling Aang, she knew to be true for herself. As she said them aloud, the inner battles and the feelings of failure stung like a slap in the face – because she was no stranger to those thoughts.
"I think I can help," Meili said calmly, recognizing that she and the monk had more in common than she thought. And maybe … maybe if she could help him … maybe she could help herself, too.
"How?" Aang asked hoarsely, his throat rough from the combination of smoke and shouting.
"There's a reason you don't trust your choices, and it's because of the way you view people. You see the good in everyone, even the enemy, which is why it's so hard for you to fight against them."
"But that's how the monks taught me to view things. We were taught to be peaceful, to accept everyone... the sanctity of life is important to me. It's why I don't eat meat!"
"I understand that, Aang, but I see where Meili is coming from," Katara agreed softly. She placed a hand upon his knee, rubbing a thumb consolingly upon it. "I don't think she's asking you to devalue life … but to look at it from another perspective."
"I think I have a story to help you understand what I mean," Meili said, her tone serious.
"Do you really think so?" Aang's voice was low, almost a plea.
Meili nodded. She took in a deep breath, exhaling before speaking.
"I think it's time I told you about how I got my scar."
The city was still – quiet. Nighttime had taken over Agna Qel'a, with most of its residents on alert or hiding away. Although the chances of an attack were low, it was still possible for soldiers to try and sneak in. This was why Squad A of the Warrior men was on patrol, positioned in watchtowers and traversing the streets.
However, underneath the city, a stranger made his way through the channels of water. He tucked and weaved, swimming through the icy water, the cold stinging the cuts and burns littering his face.
At that moment, he could only curse those wretched pirates and that damn infuriating Zhao.
The stranger eventually resurfaced, melting his way through a block of ice to enter the city. After lifting himself through the hole he created, the stranger realized he found himself in one of the sewer tunnels connected to the city canals.
He let out a few shaky breaths, slumping against the side of the tunnel as he tried to regain his breath.
"Finally," he muttered lowly, closing his eyes briefly to relish in the momentary solace. "By the end of the night … the Avatar will be mine."
Quietly, he slipped his blue mask over his face, getting up and slinking off into the shadows.
A/N: AAAAHHHH! So close to the finish line! Also, um, THANK YOU for all the love I got last chapter! It was the most amount of reviews I've ever gotten for one chapter. I appreciate every single one of you soooo much, even the ones that don't leave a review!
I'm in my final semester of college, so I've been a little overwhelmed, but I will never be stopping this story because it is literally my favorite pastime. So thank you for making it something so enjoyable to write, and for being patient with me :)
To CatMaddy95, Sapphire12985, RebelAllied, ro781727, and TheUncommonBlack, thank you for leaving me such awesome reviews. Y'alls support means the world to me :)
Don't forget to check out my instagram ochavenn where art from this story is posted. The last chapter of Book One: Water will be out soon! xoxo