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


Chapter XXIII – Flights of Angels

They sped north along the spine of Cemetery Ridge in a commandeered tank, a survivor of one of Tien Shin's brigades. The driving distance between the Corona and the Comet was no more than a few minutes, but it allowed Nikon the opportunity to survey the Fire Nation lines on his right as they passed. The moon had risen high over the Ping Tou mountains, casting weird shadows from their lofty peaks upon the ridges and foothills below.

Earth kingdom artillery continued to shell the Fire Nation positions, but much less frequently than earlier in the day. The solitary, staccato impacts felt random. The explosions echoed hollowly off the hills and went unanswered by the Fire Lord's finest. Occasionally a flight of arrows would whistle for a split second overhead before hitting its mark or burying itself in the ground. Impassive, silent, and exhausted, the red clad invaders manned their tanks or scanned the enemy lines from their hastily dug trenches, for the mongoose cavalry had dismounted to dig in once the defensive perimeter had been set.

Sentries and returning pickets saluted as Nikon and Chieng passed. Suddenly the enormous bulk of the Sunrise reared up before them, flames crowning the barrels of the twin siphons mounted on her roof, and quickly fell astern as they raced into the night.

Minutes ago Nikon had been prepared to end his life. Redeeming one's honor for such a devastating failure demanded suicide. Every Fire Nation officer knew this. Yet Chieng's words echoed in his ears and not for the first time. He couldn't deny that he was happy to be alive, once again riding one of the machines he knew in his heart he was born to command. The blunt engineer had been right – better to go down fighting in the vain hope of redemption rather than kill yourself and end all hope of it. Likely as they were to die in this battle, Nikon's heart felt lighter than it ever had since he parted with Iroh weeks before.

Flaming jets of orange sprang to life on their right, immediately identifying the Phoenix.

"Chieng," Nikon said, speaking loudly into the voice pipe that passed the tank commander's orders to the compartment below, "We passed Sunrise and we're passing Phoenix now, so we should be headed down into the ravines between the ridge and the Little Round Top very shortly."

"Acknowledged," came the curt reply from below.

Chieng was perfectly comfortable driving a tank, but not taking guidance from Nikon. He grinned at her discomfort.

As the tank crashed into the first ravine however the striking image of Chieng standing in front of Corona's observation port filled his mind. Unbidden he recalled her former title, "Commander, Strategic Rocket Forces." What the hell did that mean? She had just saved his life, and proven herself in a dozen other ways over the past few months, yet besides her inventive genius and foul temper he knew next to nothing about her. He felt a touch of shame, an all too familiar emotion of late.

"Am I actually growing up?" He thought wistfully, and then with a touch of a smile, "Iroh and Gan will be disappointed."

Suddenly they began to climb and a new shadow appeared above them. Two wisps of orange flame atop the shadow identified it as the next Fire Nation leviathan in the line.

"Sozin's Comet ahead," he radioed below.

The engine revved high as Chieng shifted into lower gears to maintain speed up the slope. Nikon ducked to avoid a low tree branch right before the machine crested the western lip of the Little Round Top.

They entered a narrow clearing. The Sozin's Comet lay ahead and to their right. A couple Fire Nation soldiers carrying lanterns were running towards the Comet while several others ran across their path in the opposite direction.

The soldiers running to the Comet stopped and began excitedly waving down Nikon's tank. As the tank drew near the runners Nikon recognized the nearest as one of Prince Xian's adjutants. His white hair and wizened, careworn features marked him as the elder of the two "map buddies." A lifetime had passed since the tank commander last saw him.

"Commander!" the old soldier cried hoarsely.

Nikon waved him closer and the adjutant swiftly mounted the tank. His companion paused briefly before continuing on towards the Sozin's Comet.

"Commander, please follow the medics right away," he pleaded, pointing in the direction of the Fire Nation soldiers rapidly heading away from the Comet.

"Why? I have to see General Xian immediately."

"Yes, Commander, but that's why you got to go with them! Please," the adjutant begged, "you've got to go now! They'll need help to move him!"

Nikon stopped short in his reply as the lantern light revealed the tears glistening on the old soldier's face.

"What's happened?" Nikon inquired sharply, his chest tightening instantly.

"Prince Xian is wounded… badly… go to him now, please!" the old man said through tears, "I have to get word to the daimyo!"

The adjutant saluted once more and disappeared into the darkness.


Nikon dismounted the tank and landed heavily on the ground. Chieng followed close behind. Together they ran towards the dimly lit figures ahead. Two Fire Nation soldiers stood holding lanterns. Two others knelt beside a prostrate figure.

"What's going on?" Nikon bellowed as he rushed up to them, anger masking his fear, "Who's in charge here!?"

No one replied. Nikon heard Chieng's sharp intake of breath as the wounded figure came into view. The body of the Fire Lord's nephew lay broken on the dirt before them. Green feathered arrows sprang from his neck and torso.

"Looks like enemy pickets, Commander," one of the medics finally offered, indicating the arrows.

Nikon ignored the comment. The "how" didn't matter now. Xian was dying.

The prince breathed still, but the wind rattled in his chest. Xian's eyes searched out the newcomer. He smiled at Nikon, recognition blooming on his face through the pain. The mortally wounded general looked younger than Iroh's friend ever remembered him.

Bitter tears leapt from Nikon's eyes at the sight.

"No! No!" Nikon screamed shrilly.

He dropped to his knees, closed his eyes in grief, and reached for the fallen prince's hand, "You can't go! Please!"

Through the tears Nikon felt the dying man grasp his outstretched hand. He looked up at Xian. Blood poured through the prince's teeth and down his cheeks as he tried to speak, but failed. A few bloody bubbles grew out of the prince's mouth, popped, and slid down the side of his face.

Pain contorting his once gentle features, Xian tried in vain with his other hand to give Nikon the baton granted him by the Fire Lord. It fell, sticky with the dying man's blood, to the ground. He could see the fallen prince mouthing his cousin's name, but no sound emerged.

Nikon froze for a moment, but then, his benefactor's intention finally dawning on him, picked up the bloody symbol of power.

Seeing the silent plea in Xian's eyes, Nikon tightened his grip on his hand and swore in a choked voice, "I promise! I promise, my lord! I'll find a way! But, please, please don't…"

He stopped as Xian's head fell to the side, his eyes still wide open. The spirit of the gentle prince had fled.

Nikon bowed his head in despair, tears dripping from his face.

He felt Chieng drop to her knees beside him.

"Rest now, Prince," Chieng beseeched, her voice uncharacteristically circumspect as she closed the eyes of the lifeless general, "Too gentle for the task, too noble for this age of blood and iron, in a better world… you would have shined bright."