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: If any experienced beta reader is interested, please send a PM, thanks!
Chapter XXIV – Apocalypse Now!
The banquet hall fell silent as the storyteller inclined his head at the passing of General Nifong's great adversary.
Grief, as fresh as the moment he had learned of his cousin's death, washed over Iroh. Heedless now of the danger, tears coursed freely down his cheeks. The audience, however, mesmerized by the performance, had failed to notice the retired general's anguish.
The quiet was suddenly broken by the huge and unmistakable sound of someone blowing his nose. The great honking noise, echoing off the hardwood surfaces of the gallery, startled many of the guests, all of whom quickly turned their attention to the predictable source of the disturbance.
"Oh Gao, that was wonderful!" bawled the merchant of Shanxi as he once more evacuated his proboscis. The silk handkerchief he used was heavily embroidered with pearls and it fluttered like a flag in a stiff breeze each time he used it.
Trimazu lowered the handkerchief to reveal tear streaked jowls. Whether they were tears of joy or sorrow no one could tell.
"Truly that is the best retelling of Lake Myojin that I can ever remember!" boomed the merchant, his voice thick with emotion.
"Oh, the Weeping Whale has spoken!" Chen Ho injected before draining his glass and motioning to a servant for a refill.
Ignoring his neighbor's scorn the fat man continued to address the storyteller in his conspiratorial tone, "I swear you might even be worth the outrageous amount of money you're extorting from me to entertain these people!"
Shifting his bulk he expelled another mighty blast into the beautiful square of fabric that had been rapidly reduced to a filthy snot rag.
Gao smiled and offered the merchant a deep obeisance.
"You honor me, Lord!"
"Oh yes, I'm honoring you all the way to the poor house, my friend! But…" the party's outrageous host then stood, spread his arms wide, and cried, "I ask my honored guests, is the great Gao Xingjian not worth every gold piece I am paying him? Does the Master Storyteller not live up to his illustrious reputation?"
The guests responded instantly with a single shout of approval and began to clap thunderously. The storyteller's eyes swept the room, for he knew he had captured his audience, and proceeded to bow once to each table of guests.
Trimazu motioned for the servants to bring Gao his chair. Clearly the storyteller had earned some refreshment.
"The bard has indeed done well," Chen Ho remarked grudgingly as the clapping began to subside and the audience began to buzz with conversation, "but do you really feel the need to blubber over the corpse of a Fire Nation villain, Trimazu? I don't expect anything more from this fool here," he said, waving his hand dismissively at Iroh, "but you should know better. I at least thought you a patriot. The death of an enemy is cause for celebration, not tears."
Zuko glowered at the insult to his guardian, but his outward countenance remained as impassive as it had throughout the narration of the disaster. He knew the outline of the history from his tutors, and his uncle had referenced it occasionally as a cautionary tale. Since the banished prince considered defeats dishonorable however he had never wanted, nor been encouraged, to study the event closely. His heart seethed with anger and shame as the tale had unfolded and he silently vowed revenge on the green clad people before him.
"Not so, dear neighbor," Trimazu disagreed, his expression serious for the first time since the carriage ride, "tragedy should be lamented no matter the color of the clothing worn by its victims – all the more so if they have brought their fate upon themselves. Is that not the very essence of tragedy?"
"As a sophisticated and educated gentleman," he continued, pausing to punctuate his remark with a thunderous belch, "I have no trouble separating pity for the fall of a doomed man and the slaughter of individual soldiers from gladness that the fascists were crushed and pride in the victory of our countrymen and allies!"
The fat man seated himself and blew his nose obscenely once more.
"I don't agree either, Lord Ho," Governor Tao remarked, flatly ignoring his host's robust flatulence, "Haven't you learned anything from this war? Maybe you haven't lost anyone dear to you. I have lost four sons and two brothers. Death should never be celebrated. Victory, always, but death? Never."
"Well spoken, my friend," Trimazu boomed in agreement, his expression brightening to its customary ebullience. Turning slightly the merchant addressed Iroh with a wave of his jewel festooned hand, "and Xian here has once again proven wiser than you, Chen Ho, though I daresay that's not hard!"
"As if the opinion of this ignorant commoner matters," the gray haired noble retorted coldly.
"Those "ignorant commoners" defend your estates, Lord Ho," Tao rebuked sternly, "Remember that."
The former governor turned to address Iroh.
"What do you say, Xian?"
"Yes!" the merchant injected, "Pay no attention to my neighbor's embarrassing lack of manners! He would do well to take after my example, but, alas, he is ever so stubborn."
Trimazu leaned in towards Iroh, his glance suddenly keen.
"So, tell us, my friend, do you lament the death of your Fire Nation namesake? Or are those tears of joy for the Army of the Granite Mountains' awesome victory?""
The banished prince was startled to see his uncle's tears, though Iroh had done his best to wipe them away while the merchant addressed his guests. Realizing the danger, Zuko furtively scanned the faces of the people around him, instantly alert to the possibility of discovery. Anger and thirst for revenge drained away, quickly replaced by anxiety and fear. He knew they could fight their way out if the situation dictated, but it would be bloody, dangerous and the entire province would soon be after them.
While Zuko waited in quiet desperation, Iroh steeled himself to meet his host's eyes. Drawing upon a lifetime of discipline, the retired general smiled and replied to the question with complete honesty.
"Truly, Lord, I am… just… moved by the master storyteller's tremendous gifts. Your fortune is truly well spent."
The master of the house hesitated only a moment before he smiled wider than ever and clapped Iroh's shoulder once again.
"It is, Xian, it is!" he thundered, "I cannot tell you how gratified I am that at least one of my guests appreciates the enormous expense I am incurring on his behalf!"
"And that is of course the main point," Chen Ho observed caustically, "why don't you just go ahead and tell us how much you're paying him, Trimazu? We all know you want to."
A few nearby guests tittered at this, for truer words had never been spoken.
"I completely understand your curiosity, good neighbor," the fat man responded, pouncing on the opportunity, "but that would be dreadfully boorish, don't you agree? Truly, I am shocked and ashamed that the patriarch of the noble Ho family would ask such a vulgar question."
The bloated merchant smiled innocently. Chen Ho looked ill and excused himself, presumably to visit the restroom. Tao Lin shook his head in disbelief, shielding his eyes with his hand while Trimazu chortled quietly in satisfaction.
Iroh's nephew exhaled, barely aware that he had held his breath. The moment of danger apparently passed, he quietly observed his uncle with concern. Xian had died long before Zuko was born and as a defeated general his name was not spoken in the Fire Lord's household. Only now could Zuko see how much his uncle had loved his cousin.
He found himself pitying Iroh for his loss and himself for his own loneliness. His uncle had loved and been loved both by friends and family. Zuko had loved only his mother and she was gone. Zuko fought down a surge of jealousy and despair. Ugly and unanswerable questions rose unbidden to torture him in the deep places of his mind.
Why can't father see in me what grandfather saw in uncle? Why can't Azula and I have a bond like uncle had with Xian or his friends? What is wrong with me? Why can't I get anything right?
At that moment a servant rushed up to the master of the house.
"Forgive me, your Hugeness, but the storyteller is ready to continue!"
With a start the fat man turned his attention to the center of the room. Gao stood ready, his chair removed, the audience rapidly falling silent.
"Of course!" he said smartly, with a single clap of his hands, "Enough farting around, Gao! I guess it's about time for poor old Iroh to get the bad news, eh?"
Iroh closed his eyes, steeling himself against another display that could jeopardize his young nephew. He knew this time he would not yield.
"Indeed, Lord, we have but one episode to relate before the Crown Prince hears tell of our great victory, for the battle of Lake Myojin does not conclude with the death of Iroh's ill-fated cousin. Hear now esteemed guests of the final downfall of the Fire Lord's mighty armored legions…"
The audience cheered.
Nikon and Chieng stood up slowly. The others remained frozen in place around the body of their former leader.
"Stay with him," Iroh's friend commanded, "We're going to find the daimyo, he must know immediately."
"Yes, sir," the medic replied, "he was on the Comet when we came here."
Nikon and Chieng remounted their machine and drove at top speed towards the Sozin's Comet, clearly visible in the distance.
Without warning the Comet suddenly sprang to life. Running lights switched on and the sound of its engines could be heard clearly over the background noise of the low intensity bombardment. Slowly, but with quickly gathering speed, she mounted the crest of the Little Round Top. The Fire Nation tanks around her quickly did the same.
"What the hell?" came Chieng's shocked voice from below.
Moments later a gathering chant rose from the ranks of the enemy and the sounds of intense battle broke out on their left. Solaria's siphons sprang to life, her flamethrowers illuminating the battlefield around the Big Round Top, for she was aiming direct fire almost immediately in front of her. The slopes of this northeastern most hill were swarming with Earth Kingdom soldiers. Closer still they could see rank upon rank of the enemy cresting the Little Round Top no more than a few thousand feet away from them.
"Dear Agni! A night attack – we're in trouble!" Nikon reported into the speaker tube.
"Right – the daimyo must be moving to support, but I don't underst –" Chieng's thought was never completed.
The agonizing sounds of grinding metal began to echo across the battlefield, as if some massive edifice of iron were swaying back and forth in a gale.
Chieng's eyes bulged in horror as Solaria, glorious, proud and illuminated like a Sun Festival sparkler, began to tip over in silent slow motion. The sound of her impact as she tumbled down the southern slope of the Big Round Top was earth shattering. Many of the attacking formations simply disappeared in the wake of her death throes. After several barrel rolls her siphons winked out, but her belly split wide open in twisted agony. Huge gouts of liquid spewed forth from her innards and exploded. Open flame now engulfed everything within reach. The Big Round Top was instantly transformed into the visage of an active volcano.
Just as the uproar from Solaria's ignominious death subsided, the awful sound of grinding metal began anew, this time from their right.
"They're earthbending the ground underneath the tank trains!" Nikon roared in frustration.
"We have to evacuate now! No option!"
Without instruction Chieng yanked the yolk rightwards and cranked the engine to full speed, driving them back towards Cemetery Ridge.
"What the hell are you doing!?" Nikon thundered while steadying himself against the sudden lurch starboard.
"We're finished here, Tien Shin knows it! He's trying to break out with the Comet. We have to do the same!"
Ahead they could already see the Sunrise teetering at the edge of the ridge line, her siphons firing continuously downslope. Her engines roared to life as her crew tried desperately to escape.
Moments later they arrived at the Phoenix, where men were hurriedly mounting their mongoose and tanks. The Phoenix's flamethrowers were silent as her position remained as yet unassailed.
"You take the Phoenix, Captain Hideo is dead anyway! Ha Chang is Chief Boiler Operator – he's good, let him run the train. Get her over to Corona and bring as much of the army as you can with you!"
Nikon swiftly agreed. In one fluid motion he swung his legs out of the machine and jumped down, Xian's baton still gripped in his hand.
Without turning he heard the slow, thunderous crash and the massive explosion that signaled the final destruction of the Sunrise. The center of Cemetery Ridge burst into flame, black smoke rising in a massive column to the heavens, blotting out the stars.
Chieng's tank sped south in a desperate race to save her last child.
"So, esteemed guests, ended the glorious Battle of Lake Myojin," Gao concluded triumphantly, the audience cheering once again.
"Tien Shin, Nikon Orlando and Chieng Shiung did indeed escape with their surviving dreadnoughts, though in the interest of time we will touch only lightly on their return to Prince Iroh, but a more complete victory has never been won as on that day."
"Indeed, the Army of the Granite Mountains was completely unprepared for the scale of the victory. The next day the winds freshened once again, completely lifting the milky veil that had obscured the slaughter, and in the clear morning light hills and shore revealed to their eyes the undeniable and terrifying truth that the Fire Nation army had been totally destroyed..."
