"The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe," Khione said. "but they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, 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! I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission."
Sokka Rose from his seat. "Count me in!"
"Sokka..." Katara said.
"Be warned, many of you will not return." Khione said as Several Water Tribe men rose and walked forward. "Come forward to receive my mark, if you accept the task."
Khione painted three red line marks with her fingers on one man's forehead. The man walked away, slightly sorrowful. Sokka stepped forward and Khione painted the same three marks. He began walking away sadly.
Aang was perched on a snow mound, holding his staff. Khione approached him.
"The stillness before battle is unbearable. Such a quiet dread." Khione said.
Katara joined them.
I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people." Aang was Determined. "I'm going to make a difference this time."
He rose and held his staff behind his back. Aang, Katara, Sokka, Appa and all the warriors were gathered at the wall. Something distant could be seen soaring toward the city from the horizon. Aang squinted his eyes before realizing the object was a fireball. Sokka and Katara, looked on in terror. The fireball collided into the wall of the city, sending Team Avatar and several warriors flying back. The wall of the city was damaged and beginning to fall apart.
Another fireball was launched into the air. The fireball disintegrated a bridge within the city. A trebuchet operator launched another fireball into the air, which hit the wall.
"Yip-yip!" Aang said.
He and Appa took flight, heading toward the fleet. The warriors regathered themselves, helping each other up.
Aang Pulled his arm free from the snow. "Katara!"
Katara used waterbending to free herself from a snow mound she became buried underneath. Sokka smiled and hoisted his sister onto her feet. The two casted their eyes upward, catching sight of two fireballs that soar overhead. Appa grunted, Aang guiding him, a determined look on his face. Aang was flying toward a single Fire Navy ship. Two fireballs were launched. On the deck of the ship, trebuchet operators launched another fireball back to Appa and Aang. A fireball was soaring straight toward Aang, who used his glider to direct it into an icy cliff side near the city.
"I'll take it from here, boy." Aang said.
He jumped down from Appa and flew downward on his glider onto the first ship. Using airbending, he sweeped several trebuchet operators off their feet and leaped onto one trebuchet. An operator came forward and slammed a sledgehammer onto the machine, nearly striking Aang who managed to back-flip away. He stood on top of the contraption, two more operators approaching him from opposite directions, each holding a sledgehammer. The one on his right brought the sledgehammer down proceeded by the one on his left. He jumped into the air, avoiding both blows and completely collapses the trebuchet with his glider and the use of airbending. He landed onto the deck, triumphant.
He ran over to an unoccupied trebuchet, already loaded with a flaming boulder. He stuck a sledgehammer in another launcher's chain. When a soldier approached him, Aang blasted him away, activating the catapult which launched the fireball straight into the deck, leaving a large hole.
Aang Ran past two operators who quickly chased after him. He arrived at two trebuchets, one before him and one behind him, and tangled their chains together. He leapt onto the machine before him as the soldiers approached and slammed his foot onto the pedal that activated the catapult. The catapult lunged forward, causing the second trebuchet to collide into the first, destroying both.
Smiling happily, Aang proceeded to another machine. A burly man observed him evilly. Aang prepared to strike the machine with a sledgehammer only to turn around and catch sight of the man who attempted to land blows from afar with two sledgehammers, each attached to long chains. Aang jumped out of the way of several blows. The man swung the chains around. Aang leaned against a beam only for the two chains to wrap around the beam thus trapping him. He struggled to break free.
The soldier was suddenly knocked over by Appa's paw. The chains snapped and Aang broke free.
Aang Brightened. "Appa!"
Appa leaned over the deck of the ship and tossed the man overboard before turning to Aang, who ran over and embraced him.
"Thanks for the rescue, buddy!" Aang said.
His expression of relief became one of alarm when the ship began to rumble. An undamaged trebuchet collapsed when a gigantic spike of ice pierces straight through the hull and deck of the ship. Dozens of Water Tribe warriors rode on boats, who were using waterbending to suspend the ship. The entire ship was uprooted. Appa stood on the sloping deck, the ruins of machinery sliding downward past them. He and Aang took off. On the horizon an entire fleet came into view, the ships large in quantity.
"You've got to be kidding me ..." Aang said in shock
Xxx
It was sunset and fireballs were continually launched. The fleet was attacking the city. Several fireballs hit the city.
Pakku pointed to the sky. "Stop those fireballs!"
The waterbenders bent up a column of water and froze it, capturing the fireball.
Xxx
"It's almost twilight, Admiral. As your military consultant, I must advise you to halt your attack." Iroh gestured to the rising moon. "The waterbenders draw their power from the moon, and it is nearly full tonight. You should wait and resume the attack at daybreak."
"Oh, I'm well aware of the moon problem and I am working on a solution. But for now, daybreak it is." Zhao said.
The lead ship dropped its anchor, followed by the rest of the ships, who dropped their anchors and ceased the attack.
Xxx
In the city, smoke billowed from several spots. Khione was looking out over the horizon.
"They've stopped firing." Khione said.
Khione and Katara stood side by side, viewing the city. Appa appeared over the horizon, flying toward them.
"Aang!" Katara said.
Aang landed on the ground, exasperated. Katara and Khione approached him.
Aang was Clearly exhausted, placing his hands on his head. "I can't do it ... I can't do it."
"What happened?" Katara said.
"I must have taken out a dozen Fire Navy ships, but there's just too many of them. I can't fight them all." Aang said dimly.
"But, you have to. You're the Avatar." Khione said pleadingly.
"I'm just one kid." Aang said solemnly.
He buried his face in his arms. Katara knelt down beside him in an attempt to comfort him.
xxx
It was nightfall on the lead ship. Inside a room Zuko prepared a boat, winding up some rope. Iroh entered.
"If you're fishing for an octopus my nephew, you need a tightly woven net, or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape." Iroh said wisely.
"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle." Zuko said.
"I'm sorry. I just nag you, because ... well," Iroh's voice broke slightly. "ever since I lost my son ..."
"Uncle, you don't have to say it." Zuko said.
"... I think of you as my own." Iroh said.
Zuko faced his uncle, a softer expression on his face. "I know, Uncle. We'll meet again." Iroh hugged him. "After I have the Avatar." He turned away and got on the boat.
"Remember your breath of fire. It could save your life out there." Iroh said.
"I will." Zuko lowered the boat, suspended by ropes, down the side of the ship into the water.
"And put your hood up. Keep your ears warm!" Iroh said.
"I'll be fine!" Zuko snapped.
Xxx
Outside on the water Zuko rowed past, navigating his way through the path of ice spikes. There was a Water Tribe guard on patrol, pausing and looking out over the horizon just as Zuko's canoe disappeared behind an ice spike. The guard continued walking. Zuko continued to paddle toward the wall, before peering from behind an ice spike, his canoe pulled up onto the ice. Several Water Tribe guards were marching atop the wall. Zuko turned around and saw Khione's swan cub resting by a hole in the ice. The swan cub plunged head first into the icy water. Zuko looked back up to the wall and began approaching the hole.
Zuko Peered down into the hole. "Where are you going?" In the hole, his face was reflected in the water. "You're coming up for air somewhere."
He pulled down the mask covering his mouth and nose and inhaled deeply. Zuko plunged into the water, the waxing gibbous moon hanging in the sky.