Avatar: The Last Airbender Created By: Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko
Avatar: The Last Airbender Owned By: Nickelodeon, a subsidiary of Viacom
All original content and characters © Acastus
A/N: What happened on the shores of mighty Lake Myojin? I have often wondered, as perhaps have those few who read this tale long ago and enjoyed it, but who hoped for a more reliable author than I have proven. So, now, sing in me Muse, and through me tell the tale of the Earth Kingdom's most glorious victory. Of men and arms I speak, of deeds both great and terrible…
Chapter XIX – Lake Myojin
Nikon squinted as he tried in vain to pierce the white shroud that enveloped them. His hands involuntarily gripped the top hatch cleats as his tank crawled at an agonizingly slow pace through the dense fog. On either side only the dim, shadowy outlines of the closest machines could be seen. The rest of the army could be heard, but was otherwise lost in the impenetrable mist.
"This is bad, Commander, bad, bad, bad," hissed the tank driver through clenched teeth from somewhere below, "First the charts turn out to be trash, and now… now this. We've got to get out of here."
"That's enough, Jin," Nikon replied sternly from his position atop the vehicle, "That kind of talk won't help us."
Jin grimaced and replied stoically, "Yes, Commander."
Nikon left it at that. He knew the tank driver was correct. The army's mood had improved dramatically with the easy investment of Amiganza three days prior, but had then declined steadily as the Ping Tou Mountains drew near. The Fire Nation maps had shown that the foothills never came within ten leagues of the Coast Road, but this intelligence had proven incorrect. As dusk fell the night before the distance between the lake shore and the mountains had shrunk to no more than a few miles. On their right the snowcapped peaks of the Ping Tou now looked close enough to touch and the low slopes of its foothills almost ran down to the beach. On their left the Coast Road was often no more than a few hundred feet from the restless waves of Lake Myojin.
Morale had visibly worsened that morning when the army awoke to a fresh horror. A cold westerly wind from the mountains, initially greeted as a welcome change after the hot dusty months of summer warfare, had sprung up during the night. By dawn the wind had changed direction and a thick layer of fog had rolled in off the lake that obscured everything. The officers had narrowly avoided a panic amongst the men before attending a hastily arranged meeting of the general staff in Xian's tent. The debate had raged over whether to continue moving forward or to delay.
"This is ridiculous, General," Nikon offered boldly, "Pardon the pun, but the mountains are literally a stone's throw away – much closer to our invasion route than we ever anticipated, and now we can't even see the tops of those foothills with the fog. If this is a setup, can you imagine a better place for a trap than this? I mean, we've at least got to hold up until the fog goes away."
"You speak fluent cowardice, Nikon,' Chieng replied acidly, "How many times do we have to repeat the same crap over and over for the benefit of fools? We scouted those foothills before the weather went to hell and found nothing - nothing! You're obviously overcompensating for your stupidity at Cam'ron. Get over it."
Nikon laughed and, smiling suggestively at the engineer, disagreed, "I'm drawing conclusions based on the facts. Weren't you the one who was supposed to be good at that?"
Chieng responded with a contemptuous snort and looked away. An uncomfortable silence descended. Xian looked haggard and said nothing. Tien Shin regarded Nikon with an inscrutable expression before turning to examine the map before them.
"The scouts say the mountains pull sharply away from the lake shore about ten or twelve miles ahead," observed the daimyo as he indicated a spot on the map south of their current position, "and that our westward turn into the southern pass is about thirty miles beyond that," he concluded, indicating still another point on the map.
"We should run it, my Lord," insisted Commander Tojo, "We could get the whole column through by late afternoon if we push it."
"Of course we should," Chieng added, "We've seen nothing more than stragglers and a few messengers since Highhold Pass, none of which have survived to tell any tales. Just move through and be done with it."
Chieng's assertion hung in the air for a few moments before Commander Ryu spoke.
"Why? What's the rush? We're almost a day ahead of schedule as is. Further, it's worth noting that we are initiating this battle, not Prince Iroh and the infantry. As long as they are in position by the time we engage, which they should be by tomorrow if they're on schedule, it should work."
"The reason for the rush, Commander," rebutted Tien Shin with more than a tinge of annoyance, "is that surprise is absolutely critical to our success. We're planning a battle in a mountain pass against earthbenders, or had you forgotten? Every hour we delay is a chance for news of our movement to reach the enemy. Our success depends on our ability to move faster than rumor. If they have time to prepare for us it will surely turn victory into catastrophic defeat. We can't allow that."
"Well," injected Commander Cho, Tien Shin's most conservative battalion leader, "do we have any idea how long this fog is likely to last? We passed what, two or three fishing villages on the way here and took hostages. Have we asked them anything about it?"
"Yes," replied Xian, speaking softly for the first time, "they said the lake shore is often subject to these fogs from now until spring."
"They're lying," Chieng stated flatly, "If that were true how would they feed themselves for eight months of the year? You don't think you can go out fishing and get back home safely in a fog like this? Not with the primitive pieces of crap these people use for fishing boats, I guarantee you that."
No one answered.
"Ignorant savages the lot of them," she concluded.
The daimyo, obviously weary of the discussion, turned and addressed Xian saying, "The truth is we don't know how long the fog will last. It might burn off by afternoon or it might be days. I agree with Commander Tojo, it's a risk, but I think we should get through the defile as fast as possible."
The debate had ended there with Xian quietly acquiescing to the near unanimous, if discomfited, consensus. Within thirty minutes the army was once again moving southward along the Coast Road. The column retained the order that it had used since crossing the Meiji pass, with Nikon and Ryu's formations in front, Tien Shin and his brigades behind, followed in the rear by Xian's own troops and Chieng's tank trains. The Fire Nation right flank was carried by the mongoose cavalry still in service after the army had been reorganized in the spring.
Mulling over these melancholy memories from the morning, however, brought no comfort to Iroh's friend. "At least there aren't any large stones down here near the lake," he observed as the painfully slow advance continued, "Now there's nothing to do but move, and pray to the Spirits that we pass through the eye of this needle safely."
With conscious effort Nikon forced himself to unclench his fists which had curled up tight with the rising tension. It was now mid-morning and he was certain that the entire Fire Nation army was in the defile. He peered ahead once more. Try as he might, however, he could see nothing but the white, slowly drifting fog banks and hear only the sounds of moving machines and the occasional break of waves against the shore.
The green clad general and his aide stood on a promontory that offered a good view of the western shore of Lake Myojin. Below them on the narrow strip of boulder strewn beach offered by the lake's southern shore stood thousands of Earth Kingdom soldiers. The general's attention, however, was not directed at the men below.
Nifong carefully surveyed the situation to the northwest through a short sighting scope. The western shore, no more than ten miles away, was completely concealed by a dense fog that rose in steadily thickening wisps from the lake surface. The tops of the foothills leading up to the Ping Tou Mountains beyond could be seen clearly poking through the milky white clouds. Suddenly flashes of light began emanating from two of these low peaks. These were joined moments later by similar flashes from the tops of the other hills.
"That's the signal, General," confirmed his aide, seeing the same thing through his instrument.
Nifong offered no reply other than to collapse his scope and replace it in his kit. His aide quickly followed suit.
They were joined a moment later by a tall man with long black hair dressed in the tranquil, cerulean blue of the Northern Water Tribe. His erect posture spoke of discipline and an unyielding nature, the sharp angular lines of his face and sarcastic smile spoke of ego and pride. The newcomer squinted with eagle sharp eyes in the same direction the two Earth Kingdom soldiers faced.
Grunting in approval after a quick assessment, the water tribe man spoke.
"An excellent day for battle, General," he mused approvingly; "You couldn't have picked a better place or asked for better circumstances. The fog is a great bonus."
"It is, Master Pakku, though it was always likely at this time of year," Nifong replied absently, for long ago he had been born on the shores of Lake Myojin and knew much concerning the features and conditions of the region.
"Our hill positions haven't been discovered then?" the water bender asked with a mixture of amusement and curiosity.
"No."
"I overestimated our enemy," Pakku concluded with a laugh, then continuing in a conspiratorial tone, "though I shouldn't be surprised. I hear these machines of theirs were designed by a woman – a woman! Can you believe that?" he asked, shaking his head incredulously, "Absolutely scandalous!"
The Master Waterbender folded his arms across his chest and allowed himself a self-satisfied smile of utter contempt.
"Hiding earthbenders on rocky hills with days to prepare doesn't take much skill," Nifong replied evenly before asking, "Are your waterbenders ready?"
"Of course, and I can't wait to see their faces when we arrive, assuming I can pry some of their helmets off before they die to get the satisfaction. I don't think they've seen waterbenders this far south since my grandfather's time. I bet they don't even believe we exist anymore," his grin growing wider and his expression more dangerous as he spoke, "It will be my pleasure to educate them."
"Yes," Nifong remarked thoughtfully, finally turning to face the master waterbender, "I'm sure it will." Stepping closer to Pakku he continued with sudden intensity, "Just remember, target the machines, forget the men. They will be powerless without their machines."
"I will remember, General, though that rests more in the hands of your men than mine."
Nifong regarded his ally for a moment longer before turning back to the scene before him. The flashes of light from the hilltops had ceased.
"Everyone below is ready," Pakku continued, "How about the men over there, are they ready?" he asked, indicating the hilltops with his chin.
"Yes, Master Pakku," supplied the aide, "we just saw the signal lights."
Pakku grunted approval again before looking behind them down the path on which they had come. There a sizable body of Earth Kingdom cavalry had completed their preparations and stood ready to move.
"You sure that's enough?" he asked, pointing a finger at the rows of ostrich horses behind them.
"Yes," the Earth Kingdom general responded, "we only need to keep them bottled up. It won't be hard. If the cavalry have to loose one arrow or lob one stone I'll be surprised."
"Then we're ready," Pakku concluded, his smug and superior attitude gone, "Let's get on with it."
"Yes," replied Nifong, suppressing a sigh, "go, Master Pakku, and may the Spirits of the Moon, Ocean and Earth be with us."
The waterbender smiled once more, this time gently, and placed a hand on Nifong's shoulder in a gesture of friendship.
"I know they will, General. We have everything we need to win. You have made sure of it. Chief Kikluk was right to send us, even though many on the Council had doubts. The Earth Kingdom is not ready to die yet, and neither is the Northern Water Tribe."
Nifong smiled wryly and nodded once in affirmation. Pakku dropped his arm and his expression became hard. He turned and began walking down the path to the beach.
"This is really it, isn't it, General?" asked the aide in a small voice when the waterbender disappeared from view.
"Yes, Captain, it really is."
They both turned their attention to the beach below. Soon groups of blue clad men began winding their way through the earthbender ranks. Whistles began to blow, prompting the soldiers in green to start moving all at once. Breaking formation everyone climbed onto the nearest stone. The beach was heavily populated with large rocks worn flat and smooth by eons of relentless wave action. Some boulders ended up with dozens of men on them.
Nifong and his aide could hear shouts wafting up from below and feel the exertion of earthbending power as their men began lifting up the boulders on which they stood. With an almost audible hum, thousands of earthbenders squatted atop their chariots of stone and tensed their muscles and wills, commanding their native element to obey them. Moments later every stone large enough to hold more than a few men hovered several feet above the beach.
The waterbenders had formed a line at the lake edge. Nifong watched as Pakku turned his head back and forth in a quick survey of his countrymen. When the Earth Kingdom soldiers were prepared, Pakku thundered in a clear voice that resonated along the lake shore, "Waterbenders of the North, begin!"
Using graceful moves that belied the strength and fortitude required to manipulate their element, the men of the north began to collect the water around them. The lake retreated rapidly from the shore as it gathered itself into the burgeoning wave. Working in unison they quickly built a solid wall of water from one end of the beach to the other.
In rapid succession the men in green then proceeded to hurl themselves and their rock platforms onto the crest of the stationary wave in front of them. Soon the wall of water was graced with a stone crenellation that bore upon it thousands of the Earth Kingdom's most powerful earthbenders. The men in blue then stepped forward into the lake and ran up the wave's gentler slope, joining their Earth Kingdom comrades on their makeshift rafts of stone.
When all was prepared Master Pakku turned and looked up at the promontory in quiet expectation. Thousands of pairs of eyes joined him. The jostling and yelling that had filled the air with such tumult only moments before melted away to a silence disturbed only by the sound of the wind and water.
The General raised his arm above his head and with a simple sweeping motion brought it down.
"Forward!" Pakku thundered in acknowledgment of the signal.
Once again in near perfect unison the men in blue executed a precise series of fluid motions. With a great heave the stationary wave suddenly began to move towards the northwest, bearing with it thousands of tons of stone and the allied army riding upon it. The moving wall of water, men and mineral quickly accelerated away from the lake shore, gathering both height and speed as it went. Minutes later the gigantic wave disappeared into the swirling vapors that obscured the western shore.
Turning away from the panorama Nifong and his aide marched swiftly back down the path to the waiting cavalry. Once mounted, the Earth Kingdom general addressed his men briefly with some words appropriate to the occasion. He observed dimly to himself as he gave a speech he never remembered that he should feel something. Exhilaration. Anxiety. Nervousness. He remembered these sensations from a hundred other battles he had planned and fought. Instead he felt only a numbness that obliterated everything, even the curiosity born of expectation.
When he was finished he led his men west along the lake shore, quickly covering the few miles between the camp and the place where the last, jutting spur of the Ping Tou began to pull southwest, away from the lake shore.
There they lay in wait, peering into the edges of the cloud banks before them, as the sounds of approaching machinery, still weak in the distance, grew ever louder.
Nifong closed his eyes and offered a last prayer, "O Spirit of the Earth, our course is set. Into thy hands I commit our lives. Smile today upon your children who offer themselves as living gifts upon the altar of freedom. For the sake of the faithful, for the countless souls who have suffered and lost, for all that is good and gracious in this world, grant us victory."
He opened his eyes to the sounds of the first stones falling on the approaching Fire Nation column and knew the prayer was unnecessary. The thousands of earthbenders concealed amongst the foothills had begun their assault a few minutes too early. Unfortunate, to be sure, but it would not change the outcome he knew to be inevitable. The Battle of Lake Myojin had begun.
