Thanks to everyone who reads this story. Now this might not be the greatest chapter and if so I endeavour to make it better, Reyne of fire is next and a big thank you to everyone in Aizen's Discord who are legit the best guys i've met in a long time.
Let us begin.
4 massive battleships sliced through the iceberg-filled seas, their massive black bows simply cutting through any iceberg that they hit. 4 massive plumes of soot and ash filled the air behind them as they continued to push forward. Their decks bristled with weaponry, ranging from catapults to large ballistae lining the deck. Behind the large battlefleet sat the rest of the ships within the fleet, these ranged from transport and cargo ships to smaller destroyers and picket ships. These sailed quickly and the crew were on battle stations, simply because Waterbenders had appeared before and only the skills of the crew had ensured that these benders could not abuse their abilities in the ocean.
Well, that and the fact that the monster himself was present.
Naruto stood at the bow of the leading battleship, fire lord's fist. His haori flowed lightly in the wind as it continued to sail forwards, a slight chill went through his body and he cursed lightly knowing what that meant.
"We're getting closer to the north." he thought to himself, there was a slight possibility that he would meet Azula and even Zuko within the icy citadel.
He really couldn't wait.
It was then as he began to move back toward his room that one of the officers caught his eye, the man seemed to be waiting for him, Naruto moved over to him knowing he had either had a message for him or was allowing him to prepare for some sort of manoeuvre.
The man saluted as Naruto approached, the large teen staring the man in the eyes.
"What is it, commander?" he asked, his voice seemingly snapping the man out of some sort of thought.
"Sir, we're roughly an hour and a half from the staging area, the Captain has asked that you prepare yourself for any raiders that may be patrolling the route. You're the strongest one here and while we could defeat most non-water bender forces, the Water-benders in the North are unusually strong, much more so than their southern cousins."
Naruto nodded, "I've already prepared myself for anything that could happen." He placed a hand lightly on the shoulder of the commander, giving the man a reassuring smile.
"Nothing will happen to the fleet."
It seemed he spoke too soon.
More and more icebergs began to appear within the seas in front of the battleships, these began to separate the warships from the rest of the fleet, the large blocks of ice slowing down the lesser ships due to their less than ideal ice breaking ability, soon a thick mist began to flow in, blanketing the area around the fleet before finally rolling in and covering everything blinding the crews from the views around them.
Naruto's senses began to go off, wildly alerting him to the fast-moving projectiles off the starboard side.
Thirteen
Naruto began to smile.
"ALL MEN TO THEIR BATTLE STATIONS. THIRTEEN TARGETS PORT SIDE." One of the watchmen cried out his voice finally filtering down to the rest of the crew who began to scurry around to their war stations.
Naruto slowly turned around, not seeing much, bar the mist and the edge of the ship, however, the sea around the ship began to churn, first slowly bubbling and low swishing as if in a small swell, then it began to buck and kick as if it were a wild stallion being saddled.
Naruto practically dug his feet into the metal of the deck as the first large wave broke over the decks of the ship, Naruto unclipped the kanabo from his back swinging it around and slamming it into the deck in front of him, the large spikes sticking from its top anchored him in place, the commander wasn't so lucky however and he was quickly swept from his feet.
The water was ice cold. That wasn't good.
Naruto began to breathe heavily, In then Out, each breath creating more and more steam.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Soon smoke began to rise from his nostrils, thick black smoke as his breaths got deeper. By now a second wave had struck the central ship, any Fire benders who could fight were on the deck prepared for their enemy.
And so they came.
Thirteen robed and armoured Waterbenders ascended onto the ship, driven forward by a large rogue wave. The first of the thirteen landed amongst a group of fire benders, bending the water around him into a large circular saw, this was sent spinning toward the bridge of the flagship intending to cripple the ship and then pick off the crew.
Just as the saw was about to touch the bridge an intense gout of fire burned it away, the stream practically burning away any mist that it touched.
The Water bender turned to where the stream came from as his compatriots engaged the fire benders around him.
The stream had come from Naruto himself, the monster had smoke rising from his mouth and nostrils, and the very steel he walked upon was hot as his ambient body temperature was increased by his intense bending ability.
He truly looked the part of a monster.
However, the Water bender was truly fearless as he moved to engage the dual bender. Naruto swung first as he approached quickly, the Water bender slit beneath the first swing taking the opportunity to respond with a heavy hammer of water, slamming into his chest and stomach and forcing him back slightly.
However naruto responded in kind, kicking out with a superheated foot and almost scorching the entire right side of the Water bender, the man grunted in pain and then tried to close the distance with the fire bender, hoping that his apparent superior hand-to-hand skills would carry the day.
He was foolish.
Closing the distance once again with the monstrous bender he attacked, striking out with a palm thrust, Naruto dropped the Kanabo. Leaning around the palm strike he responded with a heavy fist, the Water bender just managed to duck under the strike. He kicked out, the kick slamming into the side of the fire bender.
Naruto grunted at the heavy action, responding in kind Naruto struck him with a back fist grinning savagely as the bender was flung away at the action. Around them, the elite Water benders were slowly being pushed back by the larger numbers of fire benders.
Naruto paid this no mind however as he charged the water bender once again, a vicious sneer splayed across his face. He threw a quick right cross, and the bender stepped back avoiding the blow however he played into the feint as naruto spun using the momentum of the punch to throw himself into a spinning back kick striking the solar plexus; forcing the bender in two, Naruto followed the chain with an uppercut landing the combo and forcing the bender back.
The man cursed, then growled at Naruto lifting his arms as the seas responded to his gestures. The warship began to buckle and twist, the seas becoming more and more untenable.
Two large tendrils of water flowed up behind him akin to tentacles from a raging Kraken.
"You have a Kraken….I have a Dragon"
The water bender threw his arms forward sending an enormous jet of water forward towards the fire bender.
Naruto responded in kind, exhaling and releasing a jet of purifying flame, the flames burned through the stream of water, practically turning it to steam immediately. However it didn't stop there, the water bender had no time to react as the jet of flame washed over his left side, there was no scream nor any cries of pain.
The man slumped down, falling to his knees, his entire upper left half had been vaporised, no sound escaped from the man's covered head as Naruto approached him, he lifted his foot and kicked the dying man from the deck into the sea, knowing that by the time he'd hit the water he would be dead.
Naruto looked over his shoulder, seeing that the water bender ambush force had been either killed or forced away, he fired off a fireball into the sky above them acting as a signal flare through the mist, and after a couple of moments the mist started to thin as more and more flares went off signifying the fleet was relatively still intact.
"General Naruto!"
Naruto turned to the feminine voice that had called out to him, coming face to face with the female first officer. The woman was tall and had a singular eye, the other covered by a black sewed eyepatch. On her shoulder sat a small animal, it was small and furry yet it had large ears and a bushy tail.
"I'm first officer Hamada, I was told to tell you that we are under an hour away from the northern water tribe, and once we arrive we will be one of the main tips for the siege breaker." the woman said to him as he nodded at her words.
"Tell the captain to have a platform ready at the bow of the ship." he paused as she saluted and was about to turn away before he remembered something.
"Oh and tell the captain to ask if Lady Azula is going to be at the siege." The second half of the request was said in a different and lower tone than the first, The woman nodded, storing the thoughts that she had away.
The battleship lurched as it began moving once again. Black smog turned the sky dark with ash.
1 hour later
The battle group finally arrived. And before them was the entirety of the Fire Nation's Northern fleet, 60 battleships and an even larger number of picket ships sat in the bay facing toward the city. The city was protected from the ships by a Massive curtain wall which towered over even the largest of warships, the city behind was beautifully formed from ice and wedged between two massive glaciers.
Smoke rose from the city, as the large siege ships continued to launch burning trebuchet rounds over the walls, however, the large presence of Water bender's ensured no flames got out of hand, and the water benders responded in kind launching their attacks in response, most fell short and others just ricocheted off the armoured hulls of the behemoths. The warship Naruto was stationed upon continued to slip its way through the fleet weaving between the battleships like some iron-skinned shark.
The warship came alongside another battleship, this one dwarfing Narutos by a decent margin, gold lined the bow and aft of the ship framing its night black hull, however, the ship was by no means undefended, bristling with all manner of weaponry ranging from catapults to ballistas and flame throwers.
Naruto stood on the bow of his battleship as the crews began to link the two ships, he took a look at the mast knowing it would hold the flag of the fleet commander. He groaned in annoyance at seeing the crescent flame, he knew this commander well the man wouldn't shut up.
That same man was standing on the deck of the ship as his sailors lowered the gangplanks, the officers of Naruto's ship saluted the man as he held an arrogant smirk on his face which almost slipped at seeing Naruto.
"Ahh, finally the Crown's attack dog has arrived. I've been expecting you for a while now, however as much as I'd like to chat we have a siege to begin." The man turned away and began to walk away toward the bridge of the warship.
"OI dickhead, I'll begin the siege of you seeing as your warships can't break through a simple wall," Naruto called after the man, getting him to turn around in anger, sparks flickering off his skin.
"How dare a mere Dog refer to me in such a way. Do you know who I am mongrel? I AM THE GREAT ADMIRAL ZHOU. right fist of the Fire Lord himself. At this point, black smoke had been exiting the older man's mouth and nose, his anger visible.
Naruto simply stared at him eyes narrowed a small smirk spread across his face at seeing the admiral lose his composure, Naruto turned away ignoring the now fuming man. He looked up seeing that the sun was now at its highest point Naruto knew he and his firebenders would be at their strongest.
"Tell all ships to have their strongest benders at their bows and prepare to launch on my order." the officer who he directed the order to saluted and ran toward the communication station.
Admiral Zhao continued to stare at the back of the bodyguard unsure of what he wanted to do. Naruto moved to the bow of the large battleship, placing his kanabo to one side and taking off his haori and throwing it to one of the sailors he stood revealing his scarred yet muscular upper body.
He began to breathe, his bender while not as powerful due to the cold and ice around them he knew it would be just strong enough combined, flames ignited on his hands rising from his, the flames seemed to swirl and rise as if they were akin to water, he stood with his palms up almost as if he were praying.
A voice spoke to him, an arcane and ancient voice which seemed to send his blood boiling. Yet it was comforting all the same.
"Listen to me, child. The avatar is within those walls, if you wish to protect that woman you must kill him."
"I know this, yet I know not what you are nor how you are doing this," he thought back to the voice which hummed in agreement, then it responded.
"All you need to know for now is that I am the Torch bearer and I shall bestow upon you a gift."
Naruto felt the flames which now wrapped around his upper body increase in intensity, around other powerful benders also felt their inner cores strengthen, their bodies overall becoming stronger as the sun rose to its highest point. None knew it was a spirit boosting their ability.
"With the strength you have, you can bring down that wall, use those around you to help you. But remember you must kill the avatar. His reincarnates have done wrong to not only you but to myself as well."
Naruto nodded, he slowly began to go through the katas, his movements fierce and strong. His eyes glowed as if they were alight with blue flame, around him other fire benders caught on to his movements; they began to follow, flames building around each of the benders which then began to quickly move toward where Naruto was gathering the flames.
The flames in question formed a large ring around his midsection, more and more flames coalesced within the ring forcing it to glow brighter and brighter. Finishing the final move he twisted kicking out with his right foot. The ring of flame disconnected snaking its way along his outstretched foot at such a high speed that it was almost a blur unseen to most.
The burst of super-hot flame sped towards the centre of the wall, the Water benders who'd by now rushed up to the wall were hurriedly making preparations. The weaker ones summoned smaller walls of water while the strongest of them began to lift enormous slabs of ice positioning them between the blast and the main wall.
This did nothing.
The blast took the form of a screeching phoenix as it slammed through the extra defences, the secondary walls doing nothing as the sheer heat and velocity of the fire blast cut through them like a hot knife through butter.
Then it exploded.
Within the walls.
Aang had seen the fire bender warships outside the walls, even as he was hunting for a water Bender master he knew that the Fire benders would soon be upon them. Though with the way the Water benders had prepared he thought they would have lasted at least till nightfall.
That was the hope.
However now Aang and Katara were within one of the main towers fighting off Zuko, the former prince of the fire nation. The teen was powerful but the combined effects of both Katara's water bending and Aangs air bending had managed to freeze the burned prince in place.
Then the hair on their arms rose.
Zuko started to shiver, not because of the cold but because of fear. "He's here, he shouldn't be here." the teen continued to whisper.
"Who's here?" Aang asked, perplexed. Yet there was no answer, as he was about to approach the prince it happened.
A bright flash.
Then a loud earth rumbling bang.
Aang looked over to where the sound and flash had occurred, and sheer horror overtook his facial expression.
The enormous wall which protected the tribe had buckled, the centre had been pushed upwards before tumbling down as it collapsed. Any man who stayed on the wall was dead either evaporated by the blast or simply crushed by the collapsing wall.
The edges of the wall had just about remained standing, but there was a gaping maw within the centre of the wall enough for multiple battleships to dock, and now Aang realised.
The fire nation had begun offloading troops.
He had to help. Somehow.
With Naruto
The flames which had covered the older teen finally evaporated revealing slight black marks which ran across his arms to his fingertips. The Dual bender was tired, incredibly so falling to his knees he watched as the fire nation soldiers swamped through the now open gap in the wall, other benders burned holes through the wall in other sections allowing flanking actions.
Naruto took deep breaths looking over his hands and tracing the ash-black markings.
"What are these markings, why have they appeared… Is this your doing spirit?"
"Yes… these markings show that you are our champion." the spirit in question responded.
Naruto tilted his head slightly. "Our?" he thought back to the spirit.
Yet the spirit remained silent.
Naruto picked up his haori and kanabo moving back toward the ship's barracks.
"Awaken me in 2 hours." He told one of the sailors who stood at attention, and the woman saluted in response, Naruto knew the siege would last well into the day and night especially if the avatar was there.
He would ensure that he was fit enough to fight any that came for him.
2 hours later
Naruto walked out of his room, the nap he'd taken had done wonders to his early fatigue. He looked out over the deck to see the catapults still firing into the city - however, it seemed that the fire nation troops had established a foothold within the city and were slowly pushing the defenders back.
It seemed the avatar hadn't made an appearance yet, but Naruto knew they had to take the city before the full moon came up, that alone would give the water benders enough strength to overwhelm the offence. Naruto called over one of the line officers.
"Get me a boat I wish to go in with the next wave." the man paused for a moment turning back to Naruto and getting a raised eyebrow in return.
"Sir... Admiral Zhao has ordered you to stay aboard the Redemption, in case of attack." the man said as sweat began to lightly prickle his face. Naruto's stare seemed to burn straight through him.
"It is a good thing I don't care for Admiral Zhao's orders then isn't it? Now get me a boat. I wish to see how the advance is going." the man was struck into action at these words, quickly running off out of fear and duty.
Within 15 minutes Naruto had been shipped off, going in with hundreds of other ships it seemed that he would be a part of the 4th wave. The men who were going in alongside him looked at the Hand of the fire lord in awe knowing full well the sheer destruction and power that the teen held.
Naruto looked around as the ships came ashore, landing within the gap of the wall that he had created, the men disembarked around him and with the shouts of officers began to make their way into the city prepared to relieve those who were still on the front lines. Naruto followed a battalion as it snaked its way through the city, the veteran battalion making good time to where the fighting was thickest.
After a handful of minutes, they came to a massive central plaza which led toward the main capital building a large tower which stood firm and tall against the buildings around it. In front of the building, the heaviest defenders stood, hundreds of Veteran Water benders and non-benders each a master of a hundred battles. Before them stood hundreds of Fire benders, each competent a fighter and some even veterans of the Earth kingdom campaigns, the fire benders attacked first launching large balls of flame and streams of the flames at the water benders who responded in kind, launching back large flows of water and ice blocks and spikes.
The non-benders charged each other with swords, spears and all manner of other weapons were used in the hand-to-hand fighting as they engaged each other hacking and slashing with reckless abandon, the firebenders joined the growing melee launching small bursts of fire with each strike.
Naruto munched on a pawpaw, as he watched the battle rage knowing that at any point he would have to get involved, this time came when more water benders attacked from one of the side streets. Throwing large spikes of ice that cut straight through the offensive line which had been set up by the fire benders. Those same benders responded in kind, throwing back walls of flame which almost caught the water benders off guard.
However it was not the sudden response of the fire benders which put off the water tribes' counter attack, it was the sudden appearance of a tall teen within the centre of the water bender defence, he stood upon the back of two men both dead from the force of his landing. In one hand he held a large green fruit and in the other a large golden kanabo, the shock wore on for a couple of moments before a non-bender charged the man. He was quickly struck aside with a single blow from the kanabo.
Two Water benders then charged him aiming to kill him with twin blows from snaking water pythons, Naruto dodged the initial blows before igniting the fruit he held in his hand and chucking it at the Water bender on the left, the lit fruit struck the man clean almost tearing his body from his head, Naruto then rushed the other Water bender catching her by surprise as his hand ignited grabbing her face and burning it to ash.
The other benders had already started cheering and jeering their enemies as the fire nation soldiers surged forwards, knowing victory was within their grasp.
Then a bright light flooded the area, bathing them all in a soft glow.
Naruto cursed, the Water benders in front of his forces grinned as larger pythons and tentacles of water appeared behind them. They pounced.
Waterbenders began to tear through the fire bender offensive as the moon augmented their abilities, creating razor-sharp tentacles and enormous pillars of heavy water slamming through the frontlines and forcing the benders back. Naruto himself had to stabilise the line, his more extreme and powerful version of fire bending even weakened slightly by the cold still managed to hold off the water bender's powerful attacks.
He turned an entire squad to ash as more still came, those fire benders that were still alive were pinned down within the plaza as they fought desperately to hold off the ensuing assault. Naruto stood at the forefront with his kanabo and bending, cutting down multiple water benders and non-benders. Just as the benders were about to try to overwhelm Naruto's position the battlefield was suddenly bathed in a red glow.
"She is dead….. This does not ruin much, however, a balance must be maintained. The halfbreed shall fulfil her duty."
Naruto didn't question what the torchbearer meant by that comment, he was more focused on the fact that the Water benders could no longer throw ice or water spears at them.
"FOR THE FIRE LORD" Naruto roared as he charged from behind cover slinging globs of molten fire at hapless defenders two of which were caught off-guard and had their torsos burned away. The other fire Nation soldiers followed behind, shouting their oaths to the fire lord.
With The moon red and the Water benders lacking their ability the fire benders began to quickly overwhelm the defences, both non-benders and benders alike surrendered as Naruto led the large battalions toward the capitol building slaughtering any who refused to surrender and arresting those who did surrender.
Then as if the tide itself changed, a bright blue glow began to stretch from a valley behind the tower, the Torchbearer within Naruto's mind began to growl and sneer in anger at the power it felt.
"That power… it is him no doubt, yet he has bonded with the Ocean Spirit. Child do you wish to win over this kingdom… Do you wish to humble the Avatar?" the spirit hissed into his mind.
Naruto withheld his answer for a moment. For before him stood an enormous being made from blue water, the amount of spiritual energy which radiated from its body seemed to send every sense haywire. The water tribe members who still lived bowed before the beast basking in its glory.
Those of the fire nation began to attack it, throwing everything they could. Trebuchets, fire blasts and other weaponry seemingly bounced off the monster, it swung its arms washing away hundreds of troops in a single swipe.
"How can we defeat such a being? How can one defeat something so powerful?"
The torchbearer seemed to laugh, a loud booming sound which reverberated throughout Naruto's skull.
"Do not underestimate one such as I child. I am a being descended from the Sun itself. Now, do you wish to stop him?" The torchbearer's voice seemed to speak softly, knowing his choice would be cemented within the history of the world.
Naruto stood silent as the spirit continued to rampage through the city, wiping away many of the fire Nation's contamination. One of the soldiers ran up to Naruto, the man was seemingly soaked and his expression fearful.
"Sir, the commanders are calling a general retreat. We cannot continue the assault with that thing defending the citadel."
Naruto said nothing.
Then his marks burst into flames, his body slowly being engulfed in a pyre that grew quickly, bathing the entire night in its wicked glow. As the bonfire began to grow a burst of loud laughter could be heard.
"AHAHAHAHA"
The fire grew bigger and bigger till it was almost the same height as the ocean spirit itself, within the flames a massive burnt and charred Rams skull appeared. The flames seemed to curl around it and within it situating it above the mass of writhing flame.
Twin sparks of blue formed within the eyeholes of the charred skull; the chilling sparks of intelligence.
The beings' mere presence seemed to invigorate the fire benders, who stood in awe at its appearance.
"Be not afraid my children, I The Torchbearer am with you. Begone ocean spirit. Or I shall eradicate those who serve you." The spirit seemed to contemplate this thought, however, it was given no time to think as it was struck with a heavy blow, an enormous furnace of flames struck the ocean spirit's corporeal form, forcing it back against one of the large glaciers.
The sheer volume and power of the Torchbearer as he seemed to melt the ice around him, burning away any Water bender filth with it, he stretched out one massive clawed hand, slamming it into the oceans spirit torso, the spirit tried to respond sending almost a Tsunamis worth of water at him.
The torchbearer simply evaporated a section of the tsunami with little to no damage being done to its massive body.
"Avatar, know fear. My champion shall eradicate your line." The torchbearer gripped the Ocean spirits avatar tighter, its flaming hand seeming to glow with an unholy light.
The ocean spirit began to dissipate, falling apart as the spirit itself could not maintain the grasp on its form, and the avatar fell with it. His body fell out of the avatar state as he did so landing gracefully on one of the Ice pylons. Fear gripped his entire body as he stared at the Torchbearer.
"Why have you done this… why are you helping them," Aang asked, his voice slightly shaky from the experience.
The torchbearer said nothing, the blue flames which formed its eyes simply stared at him, Then it began to shrink, becoming smaller and smaller until it showed Naruto's body once again. However, the flames which curled around his body did not dissipate, they seemed to comfort him lightly wrapping around his arms and upper body.
"I serve the Fire nation. I serve them because they were there. Where were you when those earth benders hunted my family to extinction? That's right you were hidden, this world does not need you." Naruto stated to the avatar, his voice barely wavering.
Then he moved.
Arriving next to Aang who was only able to cover himself as a punch rocketed into his stomach, burning him and sending him flying, Naruto rushed after him. Swinging his kanabo wildly as the burned and hurt avatar weaved around his strikes, the boy's Natural agility saved him from the ferocious wild blows. Aang responded to the brutal swings with a push of air, this forced Naruto back somewhat giving the Avatar some limited breathing room.
However, this was for nought as Naruto was on him once more, those fire benders who could see the duel cheered on their champion, knowing if anyone could kill the avatar it would be him. Naruto caught the Young man with a brutal uppercut, this rattled the Avatar sending him slamming into a large piece of rubble; Naruto strode towards him, his purpose evident as he raised the Golden kanabo, however, he was stopped mid-swing as a heavy blast of water smashed into his body. sending his body careening away from the terrified avatar.
One of the master Water benders had arrived, and the man's Fu Manchu moustache waved in the wind lightly.
"Run Avatar, you must find another bending master. Quickly." the old master said as Naruto began to rise. Aang quickly began to run, whistling loudly. A loud bellow responded to the whistle as a massive white behemoth rose from behind the tower.
A flying bison.
Naruto took no notice of this however as his arm embedded itself firmly within the Water bender's chest. The man was barely able to speak as the hand was torn out, his body falling limply to one side.
Naruto almost collapsed as the adrenaline slowly left him, the Spirit's energy finally running dry as he made his way toward the palace.
3 days later
The Northern water tribe had fallen.
Those who could run had run, fleeing in every direction the fools had scattered like cockroaches.
And now the commanders of the Fire Nations invasion force stood at attention. Within the Throne room, all except the monster himself. He sat by the throne lounging against the ice sculpture. Soon trumpets began to play loudly. Banners were raised by those Soldiers, at the edges of the room.
The need for Pomp and ceremony was revealed, as the Princess of the Fire nation herself walked through the doors, clad in light, yet strong armour, she strode over toward the Throne her bodyguards following behind; Azula took a seat, the throne slightly hissing as she did so. Naruto leaned back onto her legs, his head resting on her lower thigh as she played lightly with his hair.
Her bright amber eyes locked with his own bright blue ones, practically speaking without actually saying a word.
Then Azula spoke.
"Hello, Naru. I've missed you dearly." Her hand lightly stroked his face as she softly spoke those words.
FIN
WHOA, to be honest this was fun to write and I hope you all enjoyed it. Remember to praise Neptune and join Aizens server.