Book 1 Elementia Chapter 2: The Unstoppable vs. the Unyielding
"Chieftain Lepidus," a dark furred and armored humanoid walked into a side chamber of the Fire Lord's throne room.
"What have you to report?" the Chieftain asked, looking over his shoulder.
"Choosing this planet as a restaging ground was truly an ingenious move, Lord Chieftain, and for humans, these Firebenders are quite useful and… expendable." the lower ranked Jiralhanae replied. "Our forces have regrouped and our arsenal has passed sixty five percent restoration."
"Right on schedule then… and what of the Charity Reclaimed?" Lepidus asked, turning to the Brute.
"Construction should be completed within one of this planet's months." He replied, glancing away for a moment.
"There is something more?" Lepidus asked, narrowing his eyes.
"We have… picked up a distress beacon on this mud ball, Sire," he said with hesitation. "It's a Human signal, sir."
"Is it…" Lepidus' eyes widened slightly.
"All reports state the Demon was killed destroying the Ring," the Brute answered quickly. "We have no reason to fear a dead human."
"You're right," Lepidus nodded, turning his back. "By the information gained from the Fire Lord's spawn child, we have one week before the planet's rebellion makes their move. It will be the perfect opportunity to put our new troops to the test. Those who cannot destroy a group of farmers and beggars have no right to fall in our ranks."
"And this Avatar?"
"He is a curiosity. The humans' ability to manipulate the elements is quite… extraordinary. If this Avatar can do what they say… we must determine how to harness that power in our own soldiers." Lepidus mused. "When the time comes to strike, all apposing humans are open to sport. But the Avatar will be mine."
O
"This is delicious tea, Suki," Katara complimented as she sipped her tea. She glanced up and frowned slightly when she noticed the way their old friend was staring at her brother."Well, it's been a long night, and we should really get some rest." She said standing up.
"But I'm not sleepy at all, Katara," Aang said innocently as he looked up at her from the floor.
"Yes, you are," Katara said, pointedly glaring at him. "You have bags under your eyes."
"What? No, I, OUCH!" Aang yelped when Katara stomped his hand.
"Ok, a little shut eye wouldn't hurt…" Aang whimpered as he shook his throbbing hand and climbed to his feet.
"Whatever," Toph grunted as she hopped to her feet and followed Aang and Katara out of the room.
"So… I guess it's just you and me, huh?" Sokka said as he stood up and dusted off his pants. "I guess I'll be, WHA!" He gasped when Suki shoved him against the wall and kissed him hard on the lips.
"I missed you, too…" Sokka panted as Suki pulled away. "But don't you think we're moving a little too FAST!" He squeaked when her hand went into the seat of his pants.
"If this camp… this war has taught me anything, Sokka… If you wait too long for something, you may miss your chance entirely," She said sadly.
Sokka froze and his eyes widened. "Suki… when the spirit came… was that the first time the Fire Nation tried…" He closed his eyes painfully when she looked away in shame.
"I… I'd understand, Sokka, if you didn't want to be with me …" Suki said stepping away from him. "Why settle for the Fire Nation's used goods…"
"Stop," Sokka said sternly and she settled her eyes on her feet. "Let's go to the bedroom… It's a little more comfortable."
Two flushing, teen faces looked at one another before Suki took his hand and led him to her bedroom, neither noticing the sightless eyes watching their every move.
"Hussy…" Toph growled before making her way to the metal kitchen table.
O
"Wow…" Sokka breathed for the twelfth time as he laid comfortably in Suki's bed with her head lying on his chest.
"You weren't that bad yourself," Suki giggled as she ran her fingers playfully over his stomach.
"I was starting to get nervous though…" Sokka flushed, "As close as Katara and Aang have been getting… I was starting to think they'd beat me to it."
"You mean Katara and Aang…" Suki blinked and a smile started to form on her lips.
"I give them a month tops before they start the kissy stuff." Sokka made a disgusted face.
"They're a few years younger, so I figure the 'kissy stuff' will be all for at least a year or two," Suki smiled, planting a feather-light kiss on his chest. "I think it's cute, your sister and the Avatar. Wonder if their kid will be a Waterbender or an Airbender?"
"Please don't talk about them having kids," Sokka groaned, "Thinking about them… making kids is a big turn off…"
"Hmph, then what do you say we do something to switch it back on?" Suki gave a feral smile.
Anything that could have happened was cut off by a loud explosion, followed by Katara's voice. "AANG! SOKKA! SUKI! WE'VE GOT COMPANY!!"
Sokka jumped to his feet and tied the blanket around his waist. "Let's go," he said to Suki as he drew his sword from where he had hung it on a chair in the corner of the room. He instantly recognized the man he dubbed Combustion Man. "That guy doesn't know when to quit!" Sokka cursed, ignoring Katara's gawk and gags at the sight and realization of what he had been doing.
He quickly walked out of the room in caught sight of Aang, Toph and Katara. "Way to go, Sokka!" Aang flashed a thumbs-up. "NOW, RUN!"
Sokka flashed a playful smile to his girlfriend. "Suki, Combustion Man, Combustion Man, Suki. I don't think you're going to be friends." He said before glancing to his blind friend. "Toph, didn't you see him coming?"
"I was a little distracted," Toph growled more hatefully than usual. Sokka would have to ask about that later.
Sokka watched with fear rising in his chest and could vaguely recognize his sister and the Avatar discussing wither to run or stand and fight. Judging by their stances, they chose to fight. "We're all going to die…" Sokka whimpered before the battle started. And before he could even realize what was happening, he found himself on his back and seeing stars.
"Suki?" Sokka whimpered as he pulled himself up.
"I'm ok…" She whispered before Sokka heard an unfamiliar voice that had to be from the Combustion Man.
"Now… I end you." He heard and saw the massive monster of a man holding the last of the Airbenders in the air by the throat
"Aang!" Sokka pulled himself up to attempt to save his best friend before he saw a small, glowing, cracked globe fly through the air and stick to Combustion Man's metallic shoulder.
Aang used the air between himself and Combustion Man as a wedge to shove himself away from the man as whatever hit him exploded in a flash of light.
"What in Yue's name…" Sokka breathed as he saw a towering golem stomping toward the hunched over Combustion Man.
"Hey," the mirror-faced creature spoke in a deep voice. "Pick on someone your own size."
Combustion Man growled and swung around to punch the newcomer, only to hit nothing but air. Saliva flew from his gaping mouth as the green giant slammed a wooden club into his abdomen. Yet the assassin didn't fall; instead, he took a deep breath and released a point-blank blast from his forehead, obliterating the club, but only striking an odd, yellow energy field around the armored figure.
"Crap…" Toph gaped as the armored titan leaped back into the air to land several feet away from the assassin. "How can something that heavy move that fast?"
Chief, another blast like that and we're toast!
"We'll be ok," The armored man spoke to the voice only he heard before pulling a long-arched pole from his back and quickly attaching a thin cable. "Stand down. I have questions, and you can't answer them dead."
Combustion Man answered with another blast. The armored titan sidestepped the blast and with the same fluid motion drew an arrow from the quiver on his back and fired on the assassin, impaling the arrow through his unarmored shoulder.
The assassin screamed in pain and jerked the arrow from his shoulder. He noticed too late the green monster rushing him. He tackled Combustion Man through the wall of a hut, and for a moment, all was silent.
The group and the gathered villagers began to gather around to see what was going on when the loud bangs crashes and thuds sounded from inside the home.
"WATCH IT!" Toph tackled Sokka as a blast from Combustion Man's forehead tore through the wall before more crashes and bangs sounded.
A moment later Combustion Man himself flew through the wall and tumbled to the ground in the heap before Aang, Katara, and Suki. The armored man stepped out of the ruins that once were a hut, dusting off his hands. "Ready to talk yet?" he said, pausing at Sokka and glanced down at the teen. "I'll bring this back." He said, drawing sword from his sheath on his back.
The armored man stepped over Combustion Man's body and lifted his head off the ground with one arm, while holding a hand to the ground by his boot. "I want answers. Why did you try to kill that boy?"
Combustion Man just spat some blood on the ground, missing the man's boot. "Wrong answer." He said, using Sokka's sword to take off the assassin's pinky finger. "Why did you try to kill the boy?"
"I was paid to do it," Combustion Man growled out in a pained voice.
"By who?"
The man said nothing, and off went the next finger, and with it, he released a loud yelp. "By who?"
"Fire… Nation… Royalty…" he whimpered out as the blade inched toward his next finger.
"Why?"
"Ask them…" He said, motioning toward the horrified children and villagers. Combustion Man screamed again when another finger went. "HE'S THE AVATAR!"
"The Avatar's dead. Try again, before we have to go to the other hand," the man growled in Combustion Man's ear.
"It's true. I am the Avatar," Aang said, stepping forward taking off his headband.
"Alright, go and never approach them again," he growled as he shoved Combustion Man's face into the puddle of blood his mutilated hand had formed.
The armored titan started to walk away from the beaten Combustion Man toward the villagers as he slowly and painfully pulled himself back to his feet.
"Behind you!" Sokka called out as Combustion Man took a deep breath to prepare another blast.
The armored man said nothing as he spun around on his heel, pulling a hand-sized metallic object and pointed it at his enemy. A loud bang filled the air as smoke came from the barrel of the object in his hand, and from the bleeding hole where the third eye used to be. The Assassin let out his breath weakly, and his eyes rolled upwards before he fell backwards to the ground, forming large puddles of blood around his head and hand.
"He's dead… he killed him…" Toph breathed, her sightless eyes wide in shock.
"Why did you do that?" Aang asked angrily as he stood before the giant, barely reaching his waist. "Answer me!"
"Are you really the Avatar?" the armored man said, the Avatar's angry face reflecting in the gold visor.
"I asked you first. Who are you?" Aang growled.
"Aang… I'm not sure you should be getting hostile with the guy who killed the guy who repeatedly beat the crap out of us…" Sokka hissed at his friend.
"SPARTAN-117, Master Chief, UNSC Space Navy." Master Chief replied automatically, "You can call me Master Chief. Are you the Avatar?"
"Yes, why did you kill him?" Aang asked hotly.
"Because he would have killed me, then you, your friends, and everyone else here," Master Chief stated knowingly. "Now tell me why I shouldn't finish his job for him?" he asked, pulling the same weapon he used to kill Combustion Man and aiming it at the defiant Avatar's head.
"Aang," Katara tried to step in front of the boy, but the armored hand of Master Chief shoved her aside.
"You can decide if I pull this trigger. From what I've learned, you faked your death at the battle for the Earth Kingdom and have been running ever since. If that's true, then I'll end you and the false hope your stories hold. Prove me wrong." He said, noting the boy showed no fear of the weapon he had seen to be lethal.
"If I could take their place, I would," Aang said; his eyes hard and serious. "I'm on my way now to meet with others who are against the Fire Nation. We're going to invade the Fire Nation capital and end this war once and for all."
Master Chief lifted his weapon and nodded. "Good. You have more guts than I gave you credit for, Avatar."
"That was a test?" Aang blinked.
"I had to be sure," He said, placing the weapon on his hip. "I overheard the stories from these people. They make you out to be some great hero: facing death so others won't have to. I can respect that."
"You're not a spirit, are you," Aang asked, taking a step back before Katara finally got to him and stared back at the armored Spartan like a wild animal protecting her own property.
"No, I'm not. You can relax; I won't hurt any of you." Master Chief said, but Katara didn't lower her stance.
"If you're going to blitz the Fire Nation, I might be interested in helping," the Chief stated, looking past Katara to Aang and Sokka.
"Yeah, me too," Suki said, stepping up to the teen, and slowly, more villages began to gather around the group, voicing interest.
"Um, Appa's big but not this big…" Toph said before glancing toward Master Chief, "And no offense, Armor Boy, but you might be a bit past Appa's weight limit…"
"I've got that, too. You four, come with me…" Master Chief turned toward the surrounding forest. "Might be a good idea to get dressed first." He nodded as he handed the sword back to Sokka, who was still standing in nothing but a bedsheet.
Suki and Sokka looked at each other and the sheets they both were wearing. "Not a bad idea at all…" they said before disappearing back into Suki's hut.
"…Ew…" Katara shivered before she glanced to the young Avatar, whose eyes rested on the fallen Combustion Man. "Aang… don't…" she said, pulling him away from the sight, trying to avoid looking at the body herself.
Master Chief nodded and walked to the body, closng the man's eyes before grabbing his arms and dragging him into the forest.
O
"Where do you think he's leading us?" Sokka asked as the group followed the armored titan through the forest.
"After what he just did, probably a deathtrap…" Katara frowned, her eyes never leaving the mysterious soldier.
"Oh … my… gods…" Toph froze in her tracks.
"What?" Sokka asked, glancing to his companion, whose sightless eyes were wide with shock.
"I could tell you were different Armor Boy… but… you're really not from around here…"
"Toph, what are you… holy…" Sokka gasped when he saw a large metallic object imbedded in the side of a large hill.
"Home sweet home," Master Chief said as he walked up the lowered metallic gangplank.
"I'm not going on there, I don't do metal vehicle… things," Toph said stubbornly. Her cheeks flushed when Sokka grabbed her hand.
"Don't worry, I gotcha," Sokka forced a smile.
"Who's worried?" Toph snorted as she let him lead her up the metal ramp.
"This is what I came in. It's an UNSC Battle Cruiser… at least half of one." The group walked into the large open area in the damaged ruins.
"Where are you from?" Aang asked, the first time he'd spoken since the conversation with the Master Chief in the village.
"Earth," the Chief said as he led them through an archway.
"Wow…" Sokka breathed as he caught sight of a large vehicle. It looked like a type of metal wagon with four large, black wheels, and a glass covering over the front two of six seats. "What's this?"
"Warthog," Master Chief paused to look at the assault vehicle. "Don't get any ideas, you won't be driving that if I have a say in it."
"You come from the ground? I don't get it…" Toph narrowed her eyes as she held on to Sokka's hand.
"Not ground earth, the Planet Earth. I'm not sure where it is compared to this world… the navigational systems were damaged in the crash." Master Chief explained as he ushered them on through the barely lit craft.
"These will come in handy with transporting those willing to fight, to the rendezvous point and on the battlefield." The Chief said as he motioned to six large, metallic, winged aircrafts. "They're called Pelicans, troop air transports."
"Airships? Good idea, but… I don't think we can figure out how to fly them in time for the invasion…" Sokka mused.
"Won't have to, we have a pilot," Chief said turning toward a large hatch. "Let me introduce you."
The four entered behind Master Chief, and their curious gazes turned from the single bed-like chamber in the corner of the large room and the single, metallic, barrel-like object standing in the center of the room. "Um… you said pilot… just one person can fly those things?" Sokka asked while Katara watched the towering soldier like a hawk.
"Never said person," Master Chief said as he approached the central cylinder. He ignored their confused looks and placed his hand on the blue glass top. Three eyes widened when a ghostly image of a woman, apparently nude but nonetheless covered, with short, close-cropped hair rose from the cylinder.
"Hi," She said, glancing around the group. "The Avatar, huh? Not as tall as I expected… cute, though." She smiled when the eldest girl flushed and glared. "Gonna introduce me to your little friends, Chief?"
"Little?" Sokka blanched, "You're one to talk, little spirit girl," Sokka said, approaching the cylinder.
"Thank you, I've always thought I was a spirited girl, too," the transparent girl beamed. "You can call me Cortana."
"This is Sokka, and the two girls are Toph and Katara," Aang gently pushed Sokka back, "I'm Aang, it's… um... a pleasure to meet you, Cortana. Are you a spirit?"
"'Fraid not, just a Computer AI," Cortana said, looking up at the young Avatar. "I'd explain what that is, but it'd probably just confuse you guys, so let's say I'm just me."
"You sure you're not a spirit?" Sokka said, sticking his finger through her transparent body.
"Stop that," Cortana snapped, causing the elder boy to jump behind Master Chief. "Anyway... what's this about an invasion plan?"
O
Light Years away, a Sangheili cruiser patrolled the UNSC/Sangheili neutral zone. On its bridge sat one of the leaders of the Sangheili race, and one of its greatest war heroes.
"Sir, we're receiving a distress signal… it's faint and broken but decodable." The com officer spoke up.
"Colors?" the commander asked, turning his reptilian eyes to the com officer.
"It's a UNSC signal, sir," the com officer stated, "I'm attempting to decode it now… by the prophets…" he cursed.
"What is it?" the commander asked leaning forward.
"It's broken up, so we can't make out all of it… but I did decode a two word phrase…" the com officer turned to face his leader. "Master Chief."
"Spartan…" The commander sat back, and if his mandible would allow, it a smile would have adorned his face. "I knew it was too easy… Give me an open signal to Lord Hood on Terra Prime."
To Be Continued …
A/N: Introductions are out of the way, and the conflict is mere days away. Will the aid of Master Chief and Cortana make a difference for the Avatar and his rebels? I know the Chief was a little more talkative to Arrowhead than he normally is; there's a reason for that, which will be revealed in coming chapters. If you know MC's background, you might catch a hint in it on his (my) reasonings. Fic rating will also increase to M as of the two part "Day of the Black Sun" chapters for violenceUntil next time, don't forget to review!
Next chapter: Path to Destiny