Sup guys, Lighting Wolf here, back with another story, this one about Avatar. Enjoy the 1000-word chapter. I don't own Avatar, Nick, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Bryan Koniezko do.
(Takes place during book one, 2 Days before King of Omashu.)
(Fire nation army Camp.)
Hao and his four soldiers walked past the two Fire Bending sentries guarding the entrance to the camp as they saluted the young general.
"How was your trip to the circus, sir?" Hao looked at his 4 soldiers who paled beneath their helmets.
"Short, very short…. Have our scouts returned from their patrol of the Earth Kingdom base north of here?" The soldier nodded as Hao walked past them.
"We will attack as soon as we the relief supplies I requested…. For now, get the other officers together for a meeting in 2 hours, I'll be in my tent if you guys need me." One of the infantry soldiers without bending and holding a spear stepped forwards.
"Sir, your messenger hawk has returned, he's-…." The soldier was cut off before he even had a chance to speak.
"Razor Beak is back?!" Hao ran towards his tent, ignoring the 2000 other soldiers in his army, dozens of which were readying weapons, counting supplies, and making sure the siege equipment and rhinos were ok.
"Razor Beak, here boy!" Hao said as he entered his tent, which was decorated in red and gold and was 5 times the size of the regular tents with an inferno symbol on the opening. The bird flew down from his perch and landed on Hao's shoulder as he pets the bird and sat him on the floor.
"You have a note?" Razor Beak was somewhat smaller than most messenger hawks, Hao had found the bird in the forest when it was a chick, the bird had been injured and as such had an injured wing that had since healed and a small scar under one eye.
Despite this, every one of Hao's soldiers knew the bird was faster, stronger, and braver than any hawk, the bird rarely left his master's side since he had raised the bird and was loyal to Hao alone.
"It's a note from the home island? I sent you away 2 days ago and you are already back? That's a new record, buddy!" Hao said as Razor Beak flew over to his perch before starting to eat a piece of meat he had found in the forest.
"This can't be right, that old man isn't crazy enough to suggest this," Hao said as he continued to read the note before seeing the bottom.
"Sir, the officers are ready to talk about their ideas for the assault." Hao waved the soldier off before turning towards Razor Beak.
"You go find out if the old man is that ruthless, ok, buddy?" Razor Beak nodded before he flew off as the 15-year-old general walked towards the tent with his officers.
"Crazy old man, we haven't done that in 100 years…" Hao muttered as he walked in.
"GENERAL!" Hao looked around, inside the tent were three of his commanders, Major Yan, Captain, Di, and his second in command, Colonel Shao, all three were older than Hao but they all respected the General.
"At ease, you guys need to lighten up a bit, your live longer," Hao said as he took a seat before speaking.
"I heard all three of you have different ways of dealing with the 2 Companies worth of Earth Kingdom soldiers ahead?" Yan was the first to speak up.
"As you know, sir, I'm in charge of Calvary, Tundra Tanks, and Kamado Rhinos."
"And?" Hao asked as he put his head in his hands, bored and tired.
"I suggest a front siege with tanks, we could crush them and then send in our Fire and non-bending infantry to mop up what's left.
"You do realize Earth Benders are very defensive and tough, right? We'd waste our resources and then they we regroup and push us back, Captain." Hao stated as if it should be common knowledge.
"And Di, you're in charge of our artillery and siege attacks, if we were fighting less organized troops or Water Benders, a siege could work but bombarding them won't work…. And Shao, you're my second in command and charge of both most of the army and the 'air force' as you call it, we don't have many balloons, we can't afford to risk lighter forces."
"I'm sorry we failed you, General." Hao rolled his eyes.
"Stop being dramatic, I have a simple plan, thanks to my trip to the circus." Hao and the others looked at the map and began to speak.
"We send in smaller squads of infantry, we feint them and make them think it's the main force, we get them to divide their forces and send in larger amounts of our heavy soldiers, this will force them to divert from their defensive positions to hold the line, then we crush them with the tanks before they can regroup, cutting them off and forcing them to retreat."
"I never thought of it like that, the Earth benders would be defenseless without support, and our tanks would be able to drive a wedge into their forces even more." Hao stood and walked out the door.
"That will be all, you're dismissed until tomorrow, guys." Hao walked back towards his tent as his smile faded.
"I am not following orders that force me to kill innocent civilians, Earth Kingdom or not. If the Fire Lord truly decides that is what is to be done…. Then I will guess Ty was right and it is time for the world to change…. Starting tomorrow." Hao said.
Author notes
Sorry for another 1000- word chapter but I am not yet going to make longer chapters just yet. The next chapter will be Hao deserting the Fire Nation… But he won't desert alone. The next chapter will be next Thursday and will be 1200 words or less. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!