The Mandate of Heaven

by kaoart

The Avatar stood on a tall hill, looking at the gate of Ba Sing Se slowly being opened. Armies poured out of the gap, with endless soldiers and steeds readied to march upon the corpse of a fractured realm. If a divided Earth Kingdom must bleed to rectify the mistakes of a nation torn asunder, so be it.

26. At Fifteen I Joined the Army

I was but fifteen when I left my friends,

For distant climes to fight our Country's foe.

And now I'm eighty, back for the first time,

To see the home, I left so long ago.

Where is the house? I should be near it now,

Yet possibly I may have gone astray.

Long years abroad have blurred the youthful brain,

I'll ask this countryman to point the way.

The house is yonder, midst those grassy mounds,

Beneath the shade of fir and cypress trees.

And there lie buried all the kith and kin,

Of former tillers of these fallow leas.

The veteran sighed and wandered to the house,

And found it overgrown and desolate.

A startled hare fled through the kennel's hole,

And pheasants flew from ceiling beams ornate.

Exhausted by the journey and his grief,

The old man plucked some grain from patches wild,

And mallows from around the courtyard well,

As in the days when but a little child.

But when the homely fare was cooked and spread,

And not a friend to cheer the lonely place.

He rose, and going out to eastward gazed,

While tears flowed down his worn and furrowed face.

Donned in a full suit of mountain pattern armor crafted from overlapping plates, the figure gleamed beneath the sun's rays, his equipment catching the light in a dazzling display. Each plate of the metal suit is a testament to skilled craftsmanship, adorned with intricate designs of gold and silver that adorned the ornate torso plates. But it was the Lion Turtle pauldrons that truly set him apart. It is a symbol of honor and distinction reserved for those who had risen to the rank of an Earth Kingdom general.

Yet, despite the prestige of his attire, there is an undeniable audacity in the design of the figure's appearance. The armor was fashioned in a flamboyant style, its lines and curves hinting at a personality that dared to defy convention. A fully green cape billowed behind him, a symbol of his elevated status above that of a mere soldier. And though every inch of his body was encased in steel, not a single patch of skin remained exposed.

But it was the helmet that truly captured the eyes. It is a domed steel helm with folded neck flaps, adorned with a golden mask that obscured his true expression. Instead, the mask bore the visage of unchecked rage, a silent testament to the fury frozen to the flesh.

Indeed, the figure seemed to embody the very essence of a deity brought to life, a living embodiment of the stone statues that adorned the Earth Kingdom temples dedicated to spirits and folk heroes.

Silent and imposing, the heavily armored figure strode forward, each step resonating with the weight of his purpose. As he moved, the crunch of the steel boots squashing the skull of the fallen jawless soldier echoed through the frozen air, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. The Xiao Zhong cavalrymen, their spears aimed at him, hesitated to attack, backing away as he entered their midst. The mysterious figure is intent on retrieving the mighty glaive, the wide crescent blade itself soaked in crimson.

Satchiko watched in fearful anticipation as the heavily armored figure drew nearer, uncertainty shrouding his intentions. With a practiced motion, he pulled the glaive from the ground, using his cape to wipe away the blood before sharpening the weapon with a nearby rock. All the while, An Qing'en seethed with rage, demanding to know the identity of this intruder who dared to interrupt him.

"Who are you?" An Qing'en bellowed. "You dare attack me?"

The figure remained silent, unperturbed by An Qing'en's threats, his focus solely on sharpening the weapon. Frustrated by the lack of response, An Qing'en ordered his soldiers to attack, but chose to distance himself with the newly arrived.

Ten dismounted cavalrymen surrounded the figure with their spears poised for the kill. Upon hearing the signal, they simultaneously stabbed.

Mayumi witnessed it all. The stone used for sharpening is first dropped to the ground, and its user grasped the metal shaft with both hands. In a swift and fluid motion, the figure seized the glaive and swung it with tremendous force. Despite its apparent heft, the massive blade cleaved through the air in a deadly arc, shattering the spears and rending through the heavy armor of the soldiers with ease. Shock and horror gripped the onlookers as the cavalrymen were gruesomely cleaved into pieces with a single sweep of the glaive, bodies torn asunder with terrifying ease. Heads rolled and limbs scattered, crimson staining the sand as the glaive drank deeply of blood once more. The sheer force behind the swing rendered even the heaviest armor useless against its deadly trajectory.

Nearby Xiao Zhong cavalrymen grimaced in fear, knowing their own equipment offered little defense against the unstoppable force of the glaive. An Qing'en, infuriated by their cowardice, resolved to confront the meddler himself. But before he could once again harness the power of his metal monstrosity, General Li Zhu'er rode forward, his voice cutting through the chaos like a thunderclap.

"Stop this! Stop this asinine game at once!" Li Zhu'er's command rang out, arriving on his ostrich horse. The urgency palpable as he urged An Qing'en to cease the reckless pursuit. The Xiao Zhong general pleaded with the arrogant childe of Xiao Zhong to retreat, to reconsider his actions before it was too late.

But the youthful lord, fueled by pride and arrogance, refused to back down. His resolve unyielding in the face of opposition. With a defiant glare, he dismissed Li Zhu'er's pleas, unwilling to show weakness in front of his own men, especially not in the presence of his personal cavalrymen.

"I am Lord An Qing'en!" he declared boldly to the masked general, his voice echoing across the battlefield. "Nephew of the undefeatable warrior An Lushan, and scourge of those Jian Xin dogs. If you have any semblance of honor, I suggest you kneel and beg for mercy. Unlike my men, I will not show leniency."

But the ornate figure behind the metal mask remained silent, simply holding glaive steady, the angry gaze fixed upon An Qing'en.

"That is no ordinary soldier!" Li Zhu'er interjected urgently, his voice tinged with fear. "He is the one who laid waste to the Western Air Temple!"

The revelation sent a chill through the air, surprising even Zaoju, who was accustomed to his superior's composed demeanor.

Undeterred by the ominous warning, An Qing'en pressed on, rallying his personal guards to his side. With a contemptuous sneer, he dismissed the warrior before him, intent on asserting his dominance over anyone who dared to challenge his authority.

"A mere upstart from Ba Sing Se is unworthy of facing me," An Qing'en proclaimed haughtily. "No matter how revered he may be among peasants, he is no match for the might of Xiao Zhong. I shall enjoy watching him being sundered by the hands of nameless people." With a wave of his hand, An Qing'en offered a hefty reward to his elite cavalrymen, tempting them with the promise of titles and lands should they succeed in bringing down the enigmatic warrior before them. It was a brazen display of arrogance, which has made him forgotten the original goal of capturing engineer Su Song. "First one who kills the Judge of Honghai shall be elevated to the rank of a marquess! I will personally grant him a fief worth ten thousand households!"

Those words did not only reach the ears of An Qing'en's personal soldiers. As the promise of wealth and power spread through the ranks of the Xiao Zhong army, stirring ambition and greed, chaos threatened to consume their ranks. General Li Zhu'er, recognizing the danger of the situation, swiftly issued orders to maintain discipline among his troops. Zaoju and the disciplined cavalrymen under his personal command were tasked with ensuring order, with the threat of execution looming over any who dared to violate Ba Sing Se's borders.

However, despite Li Zhu'er's efforts, the allure of the reward proved too tempting for many. Ignoring the warnings and consequences, a group of soldiers, driven by greed and desperation, lunged at the masked warrior like a pack of ravenous beasts. Numbered in hundreds, they are confident that their numbers can overwhelm all the peerless warriors under heaven.

"Judge of Honghai, give me your head!"

Among them, a lone spearmen charged blindly at the masked figure, his mind consumed by the promise of riches. But before his spear could find its mark, the glaive swung with precision, shattering the wooden shaft and leaving him defenseless. With a swift and decisive motion, the masked warrior seized him by the neck, a right-handed iron grip ensnaring the soldier aloft.

For a moment, the soldier's painful expression halted the advancing horde of opportunists, their greed momentarily subdued by the sight of their fallen comrade.

"S-stop!" the Xiao Zhong soldier struggled futilely as the grip tightened around his throat.

The Judge of Honghai regarded the man with unyielding anger, his gaze unwavering as blood spilled from the soldier's skin, staining the armored hand.

With a swift and decisive motion, the masked warrior drove the glaive through the soldier's abdomen, the blade slicing effortlessly through flesh and bone. With a single swing, he flung the lifeless corpse into the midst of the oncoming horde, a grim warning of the fate that awaited those who dared to challenge him.

But even as the fallen soldier's body struck down five of his comrades, the remaining Xiao Zhong troops surged forward, their lust for the promised reward overpowering their fear of death. Like a swarm of locusts, they descended upon the lone warrior, polearms raised high in a desperate attempt to overwhelm him.

As the glaive continued its deadly dance amidst the encircling enemy forces, the masked warrior remained steadfast, allowing the three hundred footmen to close in around him. Despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered, not a single inch of the mighty weapon remained clean, its hefty blade carving through armor and flesh alike with ruthless efficiency. With each cumbersome swing, a symphony of agonized cries echoed across the battlefield as bodies were torn asunder by the unstoppable polearm.

Every motion of the glaive tore apart at least five Xiao Zhong soldiers, their blood staining the sand as they futilely attempted to pierce the ornate armor of their foe. Yet, the masked warrior wielded his weapon with to full potential, blocking countless strikes while delivering devastating counterattacks.

There was a simplicity to his approach, a raw force that defied the complexities of battle. With each swing, the glaive cleaved through shields and armor as though they are mere obstacles in its path. The shields wielded by the Xiao Zhong soldiers offered little resistance against the sheer force behind each blow, their attempts to defend themselves ultimately proving futile in the face of such overwhelming strength.

Meanwhile, the cavalrymen under the command of An Qing'en watched from a distance, choosing not to intervene in the conflict. Their reluctance drew much contempt from the madman within the giant metal humanoid, who had hoped they would join the fray. Instead, they remained on the sidelines, allowing their less professional counterparts to bear the brunt of the masked warrior's rage. Even if these expendable conscripts cannot exhaust the Ba Sing Se general, it would at least offer some knowledge of his polearm usage.

Their hesitations proved fatal as the glaive continued its relentless onslaught, cleaving through the audacious conscripts who dared to challenge the masked warrior. Heads and limbs rolled across the battlefield in a grim testament to the weapon's merciless efficiency, leaving a trail of carnage in its wake. As the last man stood defiant against the masked warrior, his effort was met with a swift and brutal end. With a mighty swing, the glaive slammed into his conical helmet with devastating blow, the impact causing his eyes to explode from their sockets in a gruesome display of violence. In an instant, his life was extinguished, his body joining the countless others who had fallen before him in the wake of the unstoppable glaive.

Despite the littered field strewn with the fallen, An Qing'en's cavalrymen remained motionless until their leader's fury ignited them into action. With a savage display of power, the metal humanoid seized one of his own, rending them asunder with a single swipe of his claw, a gruesome reminder of the consequences incurred by disobedience.

"Those who emulate my strength shall be rewarded," An Qing'en's voice boomed. "But those who dishonor my name shall be torn apart! For those cowards who fear a mere non-bender, I shall adorn my mecha-tank with your heads!"

Spurred on by this terrifying threat, the elite cavalrymen surged forward on their ostrich horses, their weapons brandished as they closed in on the Ba Sing Se general from all sides, swinging and stabbing at the glistening suit of armor.

Undeterred, the glaive-wielding warrior stood his ground, mighty swings cleaving through the charging cavalrymen with brutal efficiency. Bodies tumbled from their mounts as the heavy blade crashed into them, shattering heavy armor and bone alike. Despite the heavy lamellar, blunt force easily passed through the layers of steel.

As for the ones who survived the initial strike, the dismounted cavalrymen pressed on, their eyes fixed on the Ba Sing Se warrior encased in steel. Determined to claim the coveted title of marquess, they charged forward with reckless abandon.

Among them, a particularly bold warrior from Xiao Zhong emerged, his bravado evident as he taunted the Ba Sing Se sentinel with a cruel display. Using a ring of fingers and a menacing grin, he swung a massive changdao blade with deadly intent, aiming to sever the head of the Judge of Honghai and secure his place of honor among the elite.

The Judge of Honghai effortlessly deflected the elongated sword with the mountain pattern scales on his pauldron, exploiting the opening to drive the glaive through his audacious foe's chest. Lamellar scales splintered under the force of the hefty weapon's thrust, as the masked soldier proceeded to gruesomely tear open the Xiao Zhong cavalryman's torso. Horror gripped all who witnessed as he ripped apart ribs, extracting the spine after tearing out a beating heart.

This spectacle sent shockwaves through the ranks of the Xiao Zhong soldiers, instilling fear even in the two Kyoshi Warriors who wondered if they would emerge unscathed from the ordeal. With chilling finality, the Judge then stomped on his opponent's head, crushing the skull utterly. Moving swiftly to the next target, he drove the bony spine into another man's eye, cursing those who were unfortunate enough to witness it.

Even An Qing'en was momentarily stunned by the gruesome display, failing to notice the changdao hurtling at his direction. Like a javelin, the blade that is intended for cutting the legs of ostrich horses, punctured a vital part of the metal monstrosity. It impaled the arm that was ensnaring the brown-haired woman, causing a brief malfunction in its fully metallic flesh, granting the Kyoshi Warrior a small window for escape. With the metal claw slightly loosened, Mayumi wasted no time. After landing on the ground, she immediately pulled Satchiko away from the fray, not even attempting to retrieve her sister's last metal fan.

However, the entire area was sealed off by thousands of Xiao Zhong soldiers, forming thick layers of infantry that made escape seem impossible. Fortunately, their attention was not focused on the sisters. Thinking quickly, the duo positioned themselves in the center of the encirclement, aiming to seize another opportunity as the Judge of Honghai became the primary target.

They watched as the Ba Sing Se general continued to cut down any cavalrymen who tried to claim his life. After ensnaring another victim, he even reveled in their suffering by pressing his armored hands into the Xiao Zhong soldier's eyes, inflicting unbearable agony that shattered the spirits of An Qing'en's personal guards.

"That is enough!" Li Zhu'er's command sliced through the chaos as he reined his ostrich horse to An Qing'en's flank. "You will get us all killed! Lord An Lushan's edict was crystal clear, do not engage Ba Sing Se's forces, especially with this man!"

An Qing'en's retinue bore witness to the carnage as more of his personal guards fell, maimed or worse, by the relentless onslaught of the massive glaive. Blood and limbs painted a gruesome tableau across the expanse, a stark testament to the dire consequences of their folly.

Humiliated and incensed by this costly setback, An Qing'en's resolve hardened, his gaze burning with defiance as he rallied his remaining forces. With a thunderous bellow, he summoned the most formidable subordinates into the fray. Five towering Earthbenders, clad in imposing armor and wielding hammers that could crush men into mesh, answered the call.

"Those who can defeat the Judge of Honghai will etch their names in history," An Qing'en declared, his voice ringing with conviction. "I shall carve my legacy into the annals of history as the unrivaled champion of this era!"

The Earthbenders charged forth with mighty war cries, their steps resonating with the earth itself as they wrought massive chunks of terrain to assail their foe. Their hammers swung in a cacophony of destruction, heedless of the chaos surrounding them as they pursued their blood-soaked quarry. In their leader's unwavering thirst for glory, they found kindred spirits, willing to march into the abyss in pursuit of immortality.

Yet, despite their fervent assault and the needless sacrifice of many in their ranks, the lone warrior wielding the glaive seemed undisturbed. Standing his ground, the masked sentinel effortlessly shattering incoming boulders with the mighty polearm, before meeting the five berserkers in lethal melee.

The Judge of Honghai deftly parried a strike with the shaft of his glaive, standing resolute against the onslaught, refusing to retreat from the first brute that tried to smite the metal mask. To the astonishment of the Xiao Zhong leadership, the lone general not only held his ground but also managed to overpower his towering adversary, who loomed larger than life amidst the chaos. With a mighty chop that cleaved through the hulking waist, followed by a swift uppercut through the jaw, he dispatched the first of the five elite champions. The formidable lamellar armor offering little defense against the slow but lethal blows of the glaive.

The brutal efficiency of the Judge's strikes was evident as he systematically dismantled the remaining champions, their imposing stature no match for the merciless brute force of his weapon. Despite their towering sizes, flesh is still flesh, which can be easily torn apart.

An Qing'en seethed with impotent rage, his bloodshot eyes bearing witness to the swift demise of three more of his most prized warriors, their bodies mutilated by the masked figure's relentless assault.

The final champion put up a valiant fight, landing a blow on the Judge of Honghai's pauldron and prolonging the duel by constantly slamming the ground with the hammer, sending barrages of earthen shockwaves. Yet, even as the two warriors clashed with equal ferocity, the Judge's superior skill and strength prevailed. The glaive tearing through the thick armor like parchment, tearing apart the innards. Despite the grievous wounds inflicted upon him, the Xiao Zhong warrior refused to yield, prompting his adversary to unleash two consecutive swings with unrelenting force.

The first swing forward shattered the shaft of the champion's hammer, leaving him defenseless against the relentless momentum. With a single fluid motion, the glaive's second swing cleaved through the center of the champion's body, leaving him sprawled upon the ground. With grim determination, the Judge of Honghai raised his glaive high, poised to deliver the final, decisive blow upon his fallen foe's chest. Being close retainers to the bloodthirsty An Qing'en, their necklaces made from human ears did not go unnoticed.

The Xiao Zhong man raised his arm in a futile attempt to block the impending doom, but the Ba Sing Se soldier abruptly halted. The blade hung suspended, frozen in its deadly trajectory. A lone butterfly, its delicate wings kissed by the crimson hue of blood, alighted gently upon the stained steel, seemingly the sole reason for this inexplicable pause.

As the ephemeral visitor fluttered away, the glaive resumed its descent with unrelenting force, crashing down with a seismic tremor that obliterated the last of An Qing'en's elite guards.

With the glaive now bathed in the crimson testament of its ferocity, the Ba Sing Se soldier silently issued a personal challenge to An Qing'en. This message was underscored as he callously stepped upon the hand of a crawling Xiao Zhong cavalryman, who tried to escape after losing the lower part of his body.

The man's anguished cry pierced the heavens before the glaive's edge swiftly silenced it, severing skull from spine in a grim display of retribution. To compound the punishment, the Judge of Honghai casually trod upon the fallen banner of Xiao Zhong, his iron boots desecrating the dark green rectangular flag emblazoned with the symbol of 燕.

An Qing'en's fury finally erupted like a tempest unleashed. With his personal guards now strewn upon the blood-soaked earth, victims of the relentless onslaught of one man, he disregarded General Li Zhu'er's counsel of retreat. Instead, consumed by madness and vengeance, he charged headlong at his adversary. The madman's screams echoed across the battlefield as he swung the metal claws of his giant suit, aiming to crush his foe beneath the unstoppable wheels of his rage-fueled assault.

Standing firm in the path of the humanoid machine, the man behind the metallic mask made no move to evade. Instead, he readied the glaive as An Qing'en finally closed in, both warriors swinging their respective weapons with deadly intent. The clash resounding in a thunderous cacophony that reverberated through the air.

The polearm's blade met the claws head-on, a parry defying the laws of mortal capability. An Qing'en's astonishment was palpable, yet the shame of being unable to swiftly dispatch what he presumed to be a non-bender fueled his determination to rectify this perceived humiliation.

Amidst the throng of onlookers, a mixture of fear and awe gripped their hearts as the Judge of Honghai single-handedly deflected and parried the onslaught of the giant claws. The duel between man and machine unleashed seismic shockwaves that rippled through the ground, unsettling even the steadfast ostrich horses.

Though the Ba Sing Se sentinel showed no signs of exhaustion in this otherwise lethal encounter, An Qing'en's desperation mounted with each passing moment. The scion of the Xiao Zhong warlord teetered on the brink of madness, grappling with the agonizing sensation of powerlessness in the face of an adversary devoid of bending prowess.

"Meet your end!" An Qing'en roared, his maneuvers growing increasingly reckless as he sought to bring an end to the duel and salvage his dwindling prestige. With a forceful thrust, he aimed to impale the Judge of Honghai, but the masked warrior deftly sidestepped, allowing the claw to embed itself deep into the sand, a testament to the futility of An Qing'en's vendetta.

An Qing'en's panic surged as he struggled in vain to extricate the metallic limb from the unforgiving grasp of the earth. Seizing the opportunity, the glaive descended with calculated precision, cleaving through the weakest point of the giant humanoid and severing the limb from its metal torso. Shock coursed through An Qing'en as he attempted to retaliate, desperation driving him to futilely pummel his adversary with the remaining arm of the giant suit, only to meet the same fate as before, but impaled by the glaive.

The Judge of Honghai, ever astute, exploited An Qing'en's arrogance, ripping apart the suit's final claw with brute force, leaving the Xiao Zhong scion defenseless and exposed.

"Stop this!" An Qing'en trembled slightly as he struggled to pilot his metal monstrosity out of harm's way. But his efforts were in vain as the glaive punctured the circular glass, shattering it upon impact. Unlike his previous fervor for battle, the scion recoiled as a heavily armored arm reached for the cockpit, seizing him with unyielding strength. An Qing'en's screams echoed across the battlefield as he was dragged out, skin lacerated by the jagged edges of broken glass. As expected of a man who placed unwavering faith in the machinery's supposed impenetrable exterior, he neglected to don any form of armor. The once regal dark green silk garments offered scant protection against the razor-sharp fragments, easily torn asunder by their relentless onslaught.

The Judge of Honghai seized him by the collar, his metallic visage an ominous specter of retribution as he held An Qing'en captive in his grasp. The glaive, still stained with the blood of countless victims, poised ominously, promising further carnage.

Cornered and defenseless, An Qing'en's pride and courage faltered, replaced by a desperate bid for survival. With his fate hanging in the balance, he grasped at any shred of hope, the once formidable facade crumbling in the face of impending doom.

Like any nobleman of prominent lineage, An Qing'en sought to leverage his familial ties to An Lushan in order to sway the armored sentinel in his favor. His first gambit appealed to the ancient customs and rites of the Earth Kingdom, asserting that a peasant without title or fief had no right to harm those of noble lineage. However, the Judge of Honghai remained unmoved, his grip on An Qing'en's collar unyielding.

Undeterred, An Qing'en's second attempt was more overt, tempting the masked warrior with promises of vast lands to establish his own fiefdom, crates of gold to secure his wealth for a lifetime, and most despicably, offering women from Xiao Zhong to serve as concubines. Yet, even as the words dripped from An Qing'en's lips, coated in a thin veneer of false allure, the hand around his neck tightened in silent rebuke.

Before further negotiations could ensue, the sudden arrival of two hastily approaching figures disrupted the precarious standoff. With swift reflexes, the Judge of Honghai released An Qing'en and turned his metal mask towards the newcomers. Brandishing the glaive menacingly, it is pointed at two women.

Satchiko and Mayumi, frozen in fear, sought to convey their peaceful intentions. But their words fell upon deaf ears as the glaive swung towards their necks. Only their reflexes, honed through years of rigorous training as Kyoshi Warriors, spared them from certain death as they dodged the lethal blow.

A resounding clang echoed through the air as a giant ballistic bolt was deflected back towards its origin. The Kyoshi Warriors realized with mounting dread that the main host of Xiao Zhong was stirring, their archers and siege weapons positioning themselves at the forefront, poised to unleash a deadly barrage.

An Qing'en's desperate attempt to crawl back to Li Zhu'er's army was abruptly halted as the glaive's shaft mercilessly pummeled both his legs, eliciting anguished yelps and screams as he collapsed to the ground. The bones on both legs bent, ensuring this man becoming a cripple.

From the ranks of the main Xiao Zhong forces, a group of cavalrymen surged forth with lances. Any arrows that managed to find their mark on the Judge of Honghai simply glanced off his glistening steel armor, their futile attempts at penetration met with the resilience of the hardened mountain pattern scales and overlapping plates.

A man wielding a trident charged forth on his ostrich horse, conjuring fire in his spare hand, prompting the Kyoshi Warriors to quickly assume defensive stances in anticipation of the impending clash.

However, instead of meeting the onslaught head-on, the Judge of Honghai calmly strode towards An Qing'en, using the crippled man as a shield. This simple yet underhanded maneuver effectively halted the advance of the Firebender and the group of cavalrymen, their momentum stymied by the precarious hostage situation.

"What do we do now?" Mayumi's voice quivered with uncertainty as she addressed the heavily armored figure before them. With the Xiao Zhong general having decisively ordered his soldiers to form a large circle around the area, escape seemed all but impossible. The enigmatic nature of the Judge of Honghai left them grappling with the unsettling question of whether they too might face death for reasons unknown. Yet, the decision to leverage An Qing'en as a hostage succeeded in preventing the Xiao Zhong army from unleashing a barrage of arrows or other deadly attacks that could have also ended the madman's life.

An Qing'en's pitiful whimper echoed across the battlefield, a stark contrast to his once proud demeanor, prompting the seven thousand-strong Xiao Zhong forces to take notice. His brief respite came with the arrival of Li Zhu'er, the lone general of the Xiao Zhong forces, who approached the masked sentinel with a demeanor of contrition, seeking to rescue the nephew of a state's ruler.

"My deepest apologies," Li Zhu'er bowed his head respectfully towards the masked man. "Young master An Qing'en is still a youthful childe, prone to playful indiscretions and irresponsibility. You are a peerless warrior, I implore you to forgive his juvenile transgressions. Our governor remains steadfast in his desire to forge an eternal friendship with Ba Sing Se, it is the missteps of his subordinate that have failed to honor this vision. As the general overseeing this young man's expedition, I will accept responsibility for failing to control his childish impulses."

"Childish impulses?" Satchiko's voice cut through the air with righteous indignation, not even allowing the Judge of Honghai to speak first. "What kind of childish impulses would kill so many innocent people?" Her words dripped with scorn as she challenged Li Zhu'er's attempt to downplay the gravity of An Qing'en's actions. "People who kill others for fun are not allowed to live, especially this one right here!""

Contrary to his previous bravado, An Qing'en trembled at the harsh rebuke delivered by the teenage girl. Stripped of his armor and faced with the stark reality of his deeds, the once proud scion of Xiao Zhong yearned for nothing more than to preserve his own fragile existence.

"The rank of marquess... no, the rank of state prime minister if anyone can get me out of here!" An Qing'en's desperate pleas echoed across the battlefield as he offered enticing promises to spur the Xiao Zhong forces into action. "I would even give away my own sister to whoever rescues me!"

However, it was clear to everyone present that the one person who would not allow An Qing'en to escape is the Judge of Honghai himself. Though his emotions are concealed behind a metallic facade of frozen rage, he would surely notice the gruesome array of severed heads and limbs adorning the giant metal humanoid, mostly taken from women and children. Without the monstrous contraption that fueled An Qing'en's bloodlust, his facade of invincibility crumbled, revealing nothing more than a defeated ruffian vanquished by Ba Sing Se's war hero.

Yet, there is another individual who bore responsibility for the atrocities committed. If An Qing'en was allowed to pillage and murder peasants, then someone had allowed these heinous acts. If there are eyes behind that metallic golden mask, it would have turned to Li Zhu'er, the Xiao Zhong general. Though no aura radiated from the glistening suit of armor, the Kyoshi Warriors sensed a palpable tension in the air, a subtle tinge of murderous intent seemed to emanate from the Judge of Honghai.

Before any further words could be exchanged, an arrow pierced Li Zhu'er's right shoulder, eliciting a cry of pain from the general. The thunderous galloping of ostrich horses reverberated across the battlefield, drawing the attention of all present. The air was rent with the hideous and high-pitched screams reminiscent of the infamous battle cries uttered by various steppe nomads, instilling fear in the hearts of all who heard them.

A platoon of mounted archers thundered across the earth, their steeds guided with precision and unparalleled speed as they unleashed volleys of arrows from their composite bows. The deadly rain of projectiles impaled a section of the encirclement, cutting down many spearmen and creating a gap in the Xiao Zhong formation. Following closely behind, a heavily armored chariot pulled by four ostrich horses, charged forth with its momentum bolstered by the ferocity of its riders.

Mounted warriors with double-feathered helmets and lamellar suits poured into the breach, their enthusiasm for battle resounding through the air as they clashed with the Xiao Zhong forces. Amidst the chaos, a lone figure with a penchant for growing large beards charged into the fray, brandishing a scimitar with wild abandon. With a scream that echoed across the battlefield, he descended upon Zaoju, catching the Firebender off guard with his speed and lack of self-preservation. Though Zaoju managed to fend off the daring attack with his trident, the nomad soldier swiftly retreated, leaving confusion in his wake among the nearby Xiao Zhong soldiers.

The mounted archers continued their onslaught, spinning in circles as they unleashed a relentless barrage of arrows, forcing Li Zhu'er and the Firebender to retreat temporarily as they are being pelted endlessly. Even An Qing'en found himself tormented by their departure, left to rue their absence.

"Good to know you started without us!" The leader of the mounted archers arrived, a wry grin on his face as he surveyed the battlefield strewn with the corpses of Ba Sing Se border guards. "Like I said, the boys here couldn't handle it." His jest, though laced with humor, carried an obvious hint of truth.

The Judge of Honghai remained silent as he forcefully dragged An Qing'en onto the chariot, securing the man's legs with metal chains that connected to the vehicle's handles. With a pointed gesture of his glaive, he signaled for the reluctant Kyoshi Warriors to step on the platform.

Mayumi held Satchiko's hand and leapt onto the war machine without hesitation. Satchiko, seizing the opportunity, delivered a forceful stomp to An Qing'en's jaw, eliciting a pained scream and a spatter of blood.

"Don't overdo it, kid," Qibi Heli chuckled. "The general won't be pleased if you kill this swine too quickly."

The Kyoshi Warriors glanced back at the masked man, only to notice a heavily shielded war wagon thundering towards them from behind. It resembled a 'Gate blocking knife cart', its body bristling with spikes and steel plates to withstand arrow fire. Clearly intending to deliver a lethal blow to the Judge of Honghai from his blind spot, the war wagon charged with deadly purpose.

Perplexed by the lack of concern from nearby Ba Sing Se soldiers, Satchiko nearly attempted to warn the masked sentinel herself. However, her warning died on her lips as she watched the Judge's personal steed stampede towards the oncoming war wagon. With a powerful ram of its steel horn, the beast shattered the wooden frames and tore the war machine to pieces. Xiao Zhong soldiers inside were either crushed by falling metal plates or trampled to death by the rampaging creature. One unfortunate soul met a grisly fate, impaled on the horn before being flung aside, his lifeless body torn asunder by the creature's canine-like jaw.

Both Satchiko and Mayumi looked more closely, realizing that the strange amalgamation of various animal features was actually armor. Beneath this imposing and grandeur disguise lay a plain brown ostrich horse, albeit a member of a much larger breed often used to form some of Earth Kingdom's heaviest cataphracts.

However, their temporary awe was quickly soured when they witnessed the ostrich warhorse devouring the severed human arm. Even more gruesome was its continued voraciousness, tearing into the Xiao Zhong soldier's stomach and pulling out his innards. Despite Mayumi's attempt to shield Satchiko's eyes, the younger sister strangely showed little reaction. She stared without much emotion, unsure whether to be fascinated or repulsed by the grotesque display.

After the Judge of Honghai mounted the tall and sturdy ostrich warhorse, the group departed, aiming to retreat back towards the walls. As Xiao Zhong soldiers attempted to fill the gap and block their escape, the mounted Ba Sing Se archers unleashed a volley of arrows, precisely impaling anyone who dared to obstruct their path.

To further demonstrate their disdain for any who tried to impede their progress, the war chariot charged through the enemy lines, impaling those who had not yet managed to ready their spears. The five charioteers did not pause for a second, and the Kyoshi Warriors can only take cover from the carnage by lowering their heads. The charioteers showed no hesitation as they swung their dagger-axes like reaping tools, the force of the chariot's speed rendering even the heaviest armor useless against their onslaught. Screams of men filled the air as the chariot left a trail of blood and severed limbs in its wake. It became apparent to Mayumi that the chariot's wheels were fitted with rotating blades, making the driver perhaps the deadliest member of the five-man team.

With one final push, the chariot and the mounted Ba Sing Se soldiers broke out of the encirclement, disappearing into the dense desert fog. This prompted the leaders of the Xiao Zhong army to hastily decide their next course of action.

"Father!" Zaoju rode quickly towards the injured general.

In the presence of multiple officers, Li Zhu'er extracted the arrow embedded in his shoulder. It is a dangerous act, given the risk of further blood loss without proper medical attention. But there is no luxury of time to return to Xiao Zhong for recovery.

"General, we mustn't advance deeper into Ba Sing Se," advised a colonel. "The news of this incident will eventually reach the Upper Ring, and Jian Xin will surely attempt to use it to form an alliance to crush our state!"

The chaotic nature of the border incident only increased the likelihood of such a dangerous scenario. Even the headstrong Zaoju concurred with this initially prudent approach.

"Then let me ask you all, do you think An Lushan would spare us after his nephew is captured under our watch?" Li Zhu'er's words hung heavy over the cohort. No matter the merit they had accumulated from battles against Jian Xin's forces, the crime of endangering a relative of the ruling clan would warrant a fate worse than death. Failure to retrieve the engineer Su Song meant disgrace and losing An Lushan's favor, but being considered responsible for his nephew's demise meant losing their heads. With the Judge of Honghai having already crippled An Qing'en physically, diplomatic negotiations seemed futile.

"The blood of twenty thousand corsairs spiritually tainted the Western Air Temple," Li Zhu'er's voice carried an ominous tone as he spoke of their prospects. "Do you truly think that man will spare our young lord?"

The moment An Qing'en is killed would also mark their own punishment by An Lushan for supposed negligence. If the governor were a benevolent ruler fitting the idealistic image proposed by the Earth Sages, there might be no cause for fear. But in the two decades of conflict with their neighboring state of Jian Xin, entire armies of Xiao Zhong men have been executed for displeasing the hulking warlord. From failing to loot enough wealth through pillages to allowing captured women to escape, An Lushan can be just as cruel to his own subjects. Li Zhu'er himself has allowed men to pillage cities simply to satisfy their governor's desires. Moreover, their families reside in Xiao Zhong's capital. Fleeing to another state or attempting rebellion would mean the immediate demise of their loved ones living close to An Lushan's personal palace.

"If we fall honorably in battle, at least our wives and children might not be immediately butchered," Li Zhu'er sighed. "It's harder for them to be killed since we all tried to rescue An Qing'en."

With little time for further contemplation, Li Zhu'er swiftly issued multiple orders. They must either successfully rescue An Qing'en and save themselves from An Lushan's wrath, or face their demise at the hands of Ba Sing Se. A detachment of a hundred light cavalrymen was immediately ordered to pursue the departing Ba Sing Se soldiers, riding into the dense fog, uncertain of what lies on the other side.

Before leading the remaining troops deeper into the heart of Ba Sing Se's territory, Li Zhu'er meticulously orchestrates preparations to steel his men for an impending clash against overwhelming odds. Ba Sing Se is a vast dominion that stands as one of the largest states since the fracturing of the Earth Kingdom into myriad fiefdoms led by petty warlords. It casts a looming shadow over the neighboring realms of Xiao Zhong and Jin Xin. Within its formidable borders, a dormant hegemon observes with watchful eyes as its former provinces descend into fractious discord. The mere contemplation of confronting the colossal legions marshaled by Ba Sing Se's overwhelming manpower is enough to send tremors of doubt through the hearts of the bravest warriors. Advised by the counsels of the Earth Sages in Xiao Zhong, Li Zhu'er is acutely aware that the deployment of even a single division from Ba Sing Se would eclipse the combined might of both Xiao Zhong and Jin Xin.

In a bid to fortify the morale of his seven thousand soldiers, Li Zhu'er dispatches the valiant warrior Zaoju to rally their spirits. Mounted upon his steed, Zaoju traverses the ranks of the Xiao Zhong infantry, his fiery rhetoric igniting a fervor among the soldiers. With an impassioned speech, he disparages Ba Sing Se's legions, painting them as mere lawmen fixated solely on numerical superiority rather than the indomitable spirit of individual warriors. Contrasting the seasoned veterans of Xiao Zhong, whose valor has been honed through decades of strife, Ba Sing Se's soldiers are scorned as lethargic and feeble outside the sheltering embrace of their fortress walls. With audacious bravado, Zaoju even dismisses the Judge of Honghai as a mere paper tiger, boldly proclaiming his intent to seize the head of this purported charlatan.

"I will personally vanquish him!" Zaoju declared with thunderous resonance. "Beneath the celestial canopy, I have yet to encounter a soul capable of enduring five strikes from my trident!" With a flourish, he raised the formidable weapon skyward, a gesture that stirred the hearts of all but the most hardened Xiao Zhong soldiers, who bore scars from witnessing the grim spectacle of the masked sentinel's gruesome exploits.

With this final act of rallying fervor, Li Zhu'er issued the command for the army to advance. However, before disappearing into the swirling mist himself, he entrusted a sealed missive to a messenger mounted upon an ostrich horse. Curiously, the intended recipient is not the governor of Xiao Zhong.

...

As the pursuing cavalrymen strained their eyes through the haze, they caught glimpses of the chariot and the nomad soldiers accompanying it. Amidst the fog's shroud, both sides exchanged volleys of arrows, but the advantage lay with the escapees, who are more adept at mounted archery. Ba Sing Se's outriders skillfully maneuvered, their agile movements allowing them to loose arrows with deadly accuracy, unhorsing many of their foes. Despite the mounting casualties, the Xiao Zhong cavalrymen persisted, driven by their determination to rescue the captured An Qing'en and evade their governor's impending retribution.

Through the dense fog, a fluttering flag bearing Ba Sing Se's insignia became discernible atop a distant hill. It marked the direction towards which An Qing'en's captors are headed, prompting the colonel to impulsively urge his subordinates to charge forth with reckless abandon.

Fully cognizant of the perilous gamble they are undertaking, the one hundred cavalrymen spurred their ostrich horses out of the concealing mist, only to be met with a sight that left them awestruck.

Before them stood thousands of heavily armored infantries, their ranks bristling with rectangular steel shields and gleaming ji halberds. Green tassels fluttered from the shafts of their weapons. In a stark contrast against the murky surroundings, the dense forest of polearms they brandished seemed to stretch endlessly, pointing towards the heavens.

The shield wall presented an imposing sight, its ranks tightly packed with soldiers clad in heavy cord and plaque armor adorned with intricate mountain pattern scales. Diverging from the standard Earth Kingdom uniforms, their helmets provided enhanced protection for their faces, eschewing the standard conical design.

As the chariot and its accompanying cavalrymen advanced towards the formidable shield wall, a narrow passage opened before them, granting them safe passage through the otherwise impenetrable formation. Faced with such daunting odds, it would be sheer folly for the Xiao Zhong cavalrymen to attempt to breach the formidable ranks of the enemy infantry. At best, they might hope to slip past the first rank before encountering insurmountable resistance.

...

An Qing'en emitted a pained wail akin to a wounded beast as he was forcibly dragged into the encampment. His skin bore the ravages of the harsh and unforgiving terrain, already lacerated and peeled in places, while deep bruises marred his face and torso.

The chariot finally ground to a halt before a sprawling green tent adorned with Ba Sing Se's insignia. Swiftly, soldiers clad in heavy cord and plaque armor converged around the chariot, their ji pointed menacingly at the captured Xiao Zhong man. Stripped of the protective shell of his metallic humanoid machinery, An Qing'en recoiled in terror at the sight of the gleaming halberds and dagger-axes, knowing they could shatter his bones with a single, effortless strike.

"Sister, be cautious," Mayumi urged, assisting Satchiko as she disembarked from the vehicle. The day's grisly carnage had once again ignited the fear of mortality within the younger sister.

An armored officer promptly arrived to escort them away from the grim scene. As they trailed behind the soldier, their gaze fell upon the imposing figure of the Judge of Honghai, who rode to the entrance of the meeting tent. Blood marred the front of his ostrich warhorse's metallic hull, while even more stained the elaborate armor adorning his form, which is worthy of depiction in temple murals. Two cavalrymen clad in heavy silver lamellar armor stepped forward, wielding buckets of water to wash away the gore from the masked warrior. Without hesitation, the general and Qibi Heli strode purposefully into the tent.

As the flap of the tent parted, the lower-ranking officers of Ba Sing Se stood in respectful formation on either side of the room, bowing deeply and performing the palm and fist salute in unison.

"Welcome back, General!" they chorused in unison.

The nomad soldier, distinguished by his duo-feathered helmet, followed the Judge of Honghai to the opposite end of the room, where a table and chair had been prepared, adorned with three plates of food and a cup of Tieguanyin tea.

Seating himself behind the table, the general was attended to by three elite cavalrymen who reverently carried his glaive. Despite their utmost caution, one of them nearly faltered under the weight of the mighty weapon, struggling to maintain their composure.

Qibi Heli joined two other senior members of the army unit, their rank and merit affording them a position closer to the general's side. With the Judge of Honghai comfortably settled in his seat, the meeting commenced. A figure clad in dark lamellar armor and a headband stepped forward to the desk, delivering a report that all three thousand Jian'er troops had been mustered.

Another Earthbending officer then approached, manipulating a stone table which he levitated in front of the general. Upon it, a map took form, crudely resembling the nearby terrain. It is covered with Xiangqi pieces denoting the positions of their own soldiers and the types of equipment deployed.

The table, marked by the winding path of the Chu River, served as a tangible representation of the divide between the garrison's stalwart defenders and the encroaching forces of Xiao Zhong. Scouts dispatched to survey the terrain had confirmed the reality, the enemy outnumbered them twofold. Yet, a coordinated response is already underway, as nearby garrisons were swiftly alerted to the escalating threat.

"Formation is underway," declared Jang, his gaze sweeping over the array of Xiangqi pieces adorned with the symbol 兵. "Heavy spearmen and crossbow units stand ready. Our Hundred Rider Unit awaits, ready to strike the enemy's flanks at a moment's notice."

Chariots and artillery pieces were strategically positioned, flanking the infantry backbone protected by stout walls of heavy spearmen. With a gesture, the general designated two spots on the table for the deployment of the feared 'beasts of war,' prompting the chainmail-clad Peroz to exit the tent and carry out the command with determined efficiency.

As they awaited the arrival of the main Xiao Zhong force at the Chu River, anticipation hung heavy in the air. Each passing moment brought them closer to the decisive clash, where the relentless foes would meet their end. The Judge of Honghai met Jang's gaze, offering a subtle nod. Behind the inscrutable mask, his approval spoke volumes, especially to Jang, who bore the weight of temporary command over the unit.

"Thank you, General," Jang acknowledged with a bow, his demeanor unwavering as he returned the fish-shaped military tally. It was then, amidst the tense anticipation, that the masked leader finally noticed the presence of food before him, a reminder of the simple needs amidst the chaos of war.

"General, we understand you haven't had breakfast yet," Jang reiterated, his tone respectful. "Our departure from the walls was swift, so we couldn't prepare your usual meal."

The lieutenant gestured towards the plates of food laid out before the Earth Kingdom general. Though the general is accustomed to light breakfasts such as a simple bowl of congee and some mantou bread, the soldiers, hailing from diverse backgrounds, had hastily assembled a makeshift meal from whatever provisions they could gather. It was humble fare, far from extravagant.

On the table rested a sizable steak of grilled meat, expertly cooked and infused with saffron for added flavor. Its savory aroma drew the attention of Qibi Heli's war hound, eliciting a chuckle from its master. Alongside the meat sat a plate of kiviak, a dish from the Northern Water Tribe known for its potency when not prepared correctly. Lastly, Jang produced a small brown ceramic jar, from which he poured a serving of spicy red fermented cabbages onto an empty plate, perhaps a bit too bold for the general's palate.

"I fear this feast may be too strong for your stomach, General," Qibi Heli remarked with amusement. He then retrieved a pot simmering nearby, pouring its contents into a large bowl before placing it on the table. "A hearty brew of fermented milk will invigorate you after a successful hunt. It's my secret recipe, capable of rivaling even the barley wine from Ba Sing Se, though it may just as easily leave you pleasantly inebriated."

The Judge of Honghai nodded once, pouring a small cup of tea to cleanse his throat before indulging in the unfamiliar delicacies laid before him. Though foreign to his usual diet, the assortment of food offered a rare luxury amidst the rigors of military life. However, the general hesitated to begin his meal immediately, his attention fixed once more on his lieutenant, who understood the unspoken cue to prompt him.

"All the soldiers have already eaten, including ourselves," Jang reassured tactfully. "No one marched on an empty stomach."

With this assurance, the masked warrior finally commenced his meal, delicately maneuvering his chopsticks to sample the grilled meat and fermented cabbage. But just as he was about to sip his tea, a guard burst into the tent, delivering urgent news. The main Xiao Zhong army had arrived on the opposite bank of the Chu River.

"A warrior named Zaoju challenges the general to a duel," the scout reported calmly. He clarified that the challenger was not the opposing army's general, eliciting scoffs from some of the officers.

"Finish your meal first," Qibi Heli advised. "You can deal with him after breakfast."

The Judge of Honghai rose from his seat, momentarily diverting attention from the looming duel. Rather than reaching for his imposing glaive, the general approached the stone table. Selecting a Xiangqi piece bearing the symbol 士, he tossed it to Jang, who caught it deftly.

"Yes, General," Jang acknowledged with a bow, comprehending the significance of the seemingly trivial task. "The insolent one who disrupts your meal will face consequences."

With a gentle nod, the Judge of Honghai resumed the breakfast with deliberate calmness, taking care even to blow on his tea to cool it before sipping. Aware of the toll voracious eating could take on the stomach, especially before imminent physical exertion, he savored each small bite and sip.

Meanwhile, Jang departed the tent, seizing his three-pointed lance and mounting his scarlet ostrich warhorse. As he rode out of the fortified camp, the soldiers all stood in silence. Approaching the assembled officers overseeing the formation, Jang received their acknowledgments, signaling readiness to initiate the impending battle at a moment's notice.

The lieutenant surveyed the area across the Chu River, where a massive host of Xiao Zhong forces emerged from the dense desert fog. Among them marched numerous infantries, a respectable quantity of chariots, and siege crossbows. Though the cavalrymen lacked protection for their steeds, their elite status posed a significant threat. Yet, more precarious was the uncertainty regarding the number of Earthbending troops. The only way to distinguish them is to spot the exposed foot, making estimation difficult from this distance.

"We count more than six thousand," observed a heavily armored cavalryman in silver lamellar. "Lieutenant, the enemy has dispatched a messenger."

"I doubt he comes for parley," Jang responded with an almost nonchalant seriousness.

His gaze homed in on a mounted warrior on the opposite bank of the Chu River. The warrior's voice carried over the water, hurling insults at the Ba Sing Se soldiers, branding them as lazy lawmen reliant on the safety of their walls. But no one reciprocated this.

"Those lacking honor are unworthy of facing my blade!" Zaoju's voice thundered. "Today, witness the might of true warriors destined for the annals of history. The Judge of Honghai and his ilk are but cowardly fools, fit only to face weak bandits and ill-equipped highwaymen. Against a seasoned warrior such as myself, they shall be disgraced!"

Jang narrowed his eyes, recognizing the boldness of the challenger and deducing his Fire Nation origins. When queried by another officer about his conclusion, Jang's response was cryptic yet pointed.

"Pride comes before the fall."

Riding towards the Chu River, Jang intended to confront the Xiao Zhong warrior who dared challenge the Judge of Honghai himself. Zaoju, noticing Jang's approach, grew irritated by the deliberate slowness with which the lieutenant advanced toward the midpoint between the two armies. As they finally drew near enough to exchange words, Jang regarded Zaoju with a slight hint of annoyance.

"I am Zaoju, slayer of thousands," the Xiao Zhong warrior proclaimed. "Bound by oath and honor to my father, General Li Zhu'er, I seek the return of Lord An Qing'en to his rightful place in our state. If the Judge of Honghai values the peace and friendship between Xiao Zhong and Ba Sing Se, he would surrender An Qing'en peacefully. But if not, then I shall defeat him myself in exchange for An Qing'en's safe return!"

Zaoju's bold declaration ignited the morale of the Xiao Zhong soldiers, who erupted into chants, banging their shields with their spears and swords. Despite the display of confidence from Zaoju and his forces, Jang's expression remained stoic, his annoyance growing even more palpable.

"So?" Zaoju demanded, noting the lack of response. "Aren't you going to send word to the Judge of Honghai to surrender Lord An Qing'en? Or will his legacy end here, at the tip of my trident? I, Zaoju, shall be remembered as the peerless hero who bested the Judge of Honghai." With a flourish, the Xiao Zhong champion brandished his polearm, a spectacular weapon, deadly in skilled hands atop a charging steed.

Jang surveyed the ranks of the Xiao Zhong soldiers, noting their less protective armor compared to the elite Jian'er troops bearing Ba Sing Se's banner. Even their polearms differed, with his heavy infantry wielding the more expensive and versatile ji, longer and heavier than the average spear.

Returning his gaze to Zaoju, Jang's tone turned harsh. "You think I care who you are?" he retorted. "Why would the general deign to duel with an upstart like yourself, especially when he's in the middle of breakfast?"

Incensed, Zaoju bristled at the implication that a meal held more importance than a duel of historical significance. Jang continued to stoke his ego, suggesting that Xiao Zhong's incursion into Ba Sing Se's territory might spell their state's downfall. Such a situation could provide the perfect pretext for Jian Xin to propose an alliance, tempting the Upper Ring with the promise of security. Moreover, it could serve as justification for wiping Xiao Zhong off the map, a potent deterrent against other states' interference.

Jang hadn't intended for Zaoju alone to hear the potential scenario. Many among the Xiao Zhong ranks grew wary at the prospect of war with Ba Sing Se, a terrifying notion, particularly for a state already embroiled in a bloody conflict with Jian Xin. The thought of facing a combined force from both Ba Sing Se and Jian Xin sent shivers down their spines, knowing they would be overwhelmed within days. The fear of being devoured by Ba Sing Se is daunting, but even more terrifying is the retribution Jian Xin might unleash upon their families back home. Having participated in the wanton pillaging of Jian Xin's cities and villages, they are acutely aware of the brutal consequences if the tables were turned.

"Hmph! Don't you dare try to frighten me with such trickery!" Zaoju angrily rebuffed. "Yesterday, I slew Jian Xin's most talented general. Do you think I wouldn't do the same to the Judge of Honghai?" With a sudden motion, he retrieved a sack from the back of his ostrich warhorse, hurling its content, a severed head, at Jang. "Let the Judge of Honghai see if he can survive even one blow from my trident!"

Jang deftly sidestepped the grisly offering, unimpressed by Zaoju's ploy. "As I said, the general is trying to eat his breakfast. If there's nothing else of importance, leave. I won't indulge your thirst for battle any further."

Jang guided his ostrich horse back towards his own forces, but this momentary distraction provided an opening for Zaoju. With a swift motion, Zaoju unleashed a streak of fire, aiming for Jang's spine. Though the flame singed Jang's cape, his dark lamellar armor shielded him from the worst of the blaze, stunning the Xiao Zhong champion with its resilience.

"You're not the only Firebender on this continent," Jang rebuked the underhanded attack. Without hesitation, his scarlet ostrich horse leaped across the Chu River, landing near Zaoju as Jang thrust his lance towards the warrior's neck.

Zaoju was forced to block the strike with the trident, initiating a duel of champions amidst the two opposing armies.

The Xiao Zhong soldiers chanted fervently, rallying behind Zaoju. Yet, the Ba Sing Se soldiers remained solemnly silent, not even a single cheer to support their lieutenant.

The duel commenced with fierce combat atop their ostrich horses, polearms swinging and stabbing. Despite Zaoju's prowess as a valiant warrior, Jang managed to land a blow, maiming the warrior's face as the lance grazed his jaw.

Roaring in pain, Zaoju parried another strike from Jang's lance before launching a fist towards his opponent.

Recognizing the familiar form, Jang intentionally fell from the saddle, narrowly avoiding the burst of flames. Swiftly remounting his ostrich horse, he drove the three-pointed lance towards Zaoju's chest, piercing the warrior's chestplate.

As panic gripped the Xiao Zhong champion, Zaoju's armor spared him but compelled the bold warrior to flee. Jang pursued relentlessly, their ostrich horses thundering at breakneck speed. The sight of their champion fleeing only dampened the morale of the Xiao Zhong forces further.

Desperate to avenge his dishonor, Zaoju turned to launch multiple fireballs at Jang, attempting to incinerate his pursuer. Yet, each fiery assault was deflected and extinguished by the expertly wielded three-point lance.

Undeterred by Zaoju's ferocious Firebending, Jang couched the lance and charged towards his foe. Zaoju, in a last-ditch effort, blasted the ground between them, hoping to deter the Ba Sing Se soldier. But his miscalculation underestimated Jang's resolve. With a fearless roar, Jang urged his steed to leap through the flames, closing the distance between them in a single bound. With a swift, two-handed swing, Jang's lance cleaved across Zaoju's neck.

Gasping, Zaoju clutched his lacerated throat, blood gushing from the wound. Unable to control his ostrich horse, the steed galloped through the river, inadvertently hurling Zaoju into the watery depths. Shock rippled through the Xiao Zhong soldiers as their strongest warrior fell, morale plummeting with the completion of the duel. The disheartening sight of Zaoju's lifeless body floating downstream only compounded their defeat, casting a pall over the Xiao Zhong forces.

"You are not the first Firebender I've killed, and you certainly won't be the last," Jang stated with little emotion. As he held the blood-stained lance, his gaze fell upon the now masterless ostrich horse. Even animals couldn't escape the horrors of war, a sobering reminder of humanity's greatest folly.

Before Jang could pull the rein of this spare ostrich horse and return to his allies, a distant twang caught his attention. His instincts screamed a warning, but it was too late. An object smashed into his left lamellar pauldron, splintering the metal scales and exposing the arm. Thankfully, the trajectory spared his torso, but the nearby ostrich horse wasn't as fortunate. A ballista bolt lodged into its neck, sending it screeching in agony before stumbling into the Chu River.

Jang fixed a stern gaze on the Xiao Zhong army, keenly aware of their underhanded tactics following their champion's defeat. From the riverbank, he heard the enemy general's grief-stricken cries for his son's demise.

"Avenge him! Avenge my son!" Li Zhu'er bellowed, unsheathing his jian.

A group of archers drew their bows, aiming at Jang. Arrows flew towards him, seeking to end the Ba Sing Se champion while he lacks the protection of his soldiers.

Gritting his teeth, Jang spun the lance's shaft quickly, using it as a makeshift shield to deflect the incoming arrows. Though a somewhat effective technique, it was no replacement for a proper shield's protection. One arrow struck the scarlet ostrich horse's armor, while another narrowly missed Jang's face.

Before the Xiao Zhong archers could ready another volley, Jang swiftly rode back to his allies, who parted their impeccable phalanx to welcome him within their ranks. The arrows harmlessly bounced off the metal shields, further stoking Li Zhu'er's fury.

"General, the enemy's formation is impenetrable!" remarked a colonel, eyeing the countless lines of metal shields. "A frontal assault would result in heavy casualties for our troops!"

The multiple layers of shield walls are designed to devastate any incoming attackers, with the long ji proving a deadly instrument in mass formations. Yet, regardless of how well-equipped non-benders might be, they remained at the mercy of those wielding the elements.

"Then we shall weaken their defenses," Li Zhu'er declared. "Prepare the siege weapons! Whether they are from Jian Xin or Ba Sing Se, the outcome will be the same!"

The Xiao Zhong officers relayed the order, and the entire seven thousand-strong army shifted, allowing their heaviest equipment to be positioned at the forefront. Earthbenders maneuvered their signature weapons to the frontlines, intending to avoid hitting their allies with the gigantic earthen coins. Teams of four men hauled mounted crossbows into position, loading the large bolts capable of piercing multiple armored foes. Catapult teams readied their projectile from the rear, aiming to devastate the Ba Sing Se shield wall formations.

Li Zhu'er observed the preparations, mindful that many Xiao Zhong soldiers had yet to recover from the previous day's battle with Jian Xin troops. The hasty pursuit through the desert fog had also exhausted a significant portion of the infantry. Despite their numerical advantage over the Ba Sing Se forces, several concerning factors weighed on the seasoned general's mind. The sea of heavy steel lamellar among the enemy ranks is a clear indication that each wearer is stronger than the average conscript, adding to his apprehension.

Under the dim sky, a hushed murmur rippled through the ranks as a nearby officer approached with a tremor in his voice.

"General," he began, words barely audible above the shifting whispers, "I believe you should see this."

Li Zhu'er turned, his gaze sweeping across the expanse of the Ba Sing Se army. His eyes widened as they settled upon a monumental contraption emerging from the fortified camp. It is a siege crossbow of unprecedented scale, a giant-sized 'San Gong Chuang Nu' that is much larger than the standard ones used by other Earth Kingdom armies. In fact, it is unreasonably large, as it is manned by a hundred Ba Sing Se soldiers who strained against its sheer magnitude.

"Quick!" Li Zhu'er's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "At my signal, let loose all projectiles upon the enemy!"

But the command remained unspoken. Li Zhu'er's breath caught in his throat as he beheld a sight that sent a chill down his spine. There is a bloodied figure bound to a wooden cross. It is An Qing'en, nephew of the warlord, being paraded on a chariot amidst the Ba Sing Se host. And beside him, seated with casual indifference, was the Judge of Honghai. The masked man's demeanor serene as he sipped tea from a delicate porcelain cup.

"Such disgraceful conduct!" Li Zhu'er's voice rose, tinged with fury that burned in his bloodshot eyes.

It was clear that An Qing'en, though captured, was kept alive for a purpose. To serve as a shield against the onslaught of his own allies. By displaying the young lord in such a manner, the Ba Sing Se forces rendered their adversaries hesitant to unleash their full fury. To harm him would be to court retaliation from their own governor, a risk too great to take lightly.

"General, we must act!" the colonel urged, his voice resolute. "Even at the risk of harm to young master An Qing'en, we must strike first. If we accidentally kill him, we can still pin the blame on the Judge of Honghai. It is his fault for disregarding those with noble lineage."

In the face of impending doom, Li Zhu'er's mind raced with the intricacies of their precarious situation. The simplistic perspective of the colonel, blissfully ignorant that Ba Sing Se can play the same game, threatened to seal their fate. Tasked with the perilous duty of 'supervising' the recklessness of An Qing'en, Li Zhu'er understood that their own necks would be the first on the chopping block should the warlord's nephew meet his demise in enemy territory. The explanation of their presence within Ba Sing Se's domain would be a knot too tangled to unravel.

"Save me!" An Qing'en's desperate cry pierced the tense air, his voice strained with the last vestiges of strength. Across the battlefield, the Judge of Honghai took a measured sip of tea, a tranquil facade masking the anticipation of impending carnage as the colossal ballista was painstakingly loaded.

Panic rippled through the ranks of Xiao Zhong's soldiers at their general's sudden hesitation. In the turmoil, the officers found themselves divided on the best course of action. Some advocated for a brazen assault, seeking to overwhelm the Ba Sing Se defenders with sheer force of numbers. Yet, such a gambit risked the accidental demise of An Qing'en amidst the chaos, and certain slaughter against the formidable shield walls. Others urged a strategic withdrawal, back to the relative safety of Xiao Zhong's borders. But such a retreat would only postpone their reckoning, inviting the wrath of An Lushan himself upon their return and ensuring the punishment of their entire households for their failure.

"I suppose it is the heaven's will," Li Zhu'er murmured, resignation heavy in their voice. "Fate has decreed our demise upon this blood-soaked soil."

"放!"

A deafening roar tore through the air as the colossal ballista unleashed its deadly payload. With a thunderous impact, the imposing bolt soared across the Chu River, tearing through the ranks of Xiao Zhong soldiers with merciless precision. Bodies were impaled, and a grim tally of fifty lives was swiftly counted by Li Zhu'er, a testament to the devastating power of the Ba Sing Se siege weapon. Such was its force that even a sturdy catapult, nestled in the rear for protection, was sent crashing to the ground. But clearly there is more to its lethality, as the sight of skewered men utterly frightened the Xiao Zhong soldiers who witnessed it, plummeting the morale even further.

While the traditional method of hurling giant earthen coins may boast greater destructive potential, the formidable siege crossbows reveled in their ability to strike from a distance with deadly accuracy.

Aware that inaction would only invite further devastation, Li Zhu'er made the decisive call to launch a direct assault on the shield walls. Better to face a futile battle here than to return to Xiao Zhong in disgrace, risking the lives of their families.

"Brave warriors of Xiao Zhong!" Li Zhu'er's voice rang out, rallying the troops. "Twenty years of conflict have tempered your spirits. Today, we shall show these mere lawmen who entrenched behind their walls, that the indomitable will to conquer adversity is our greatest weapon!"

With resolve forged in the fires of adversity, the mighty host of Xiao Zhong surged forward. Leading the charge were the spearmen vanguards, the stalwart backbone of the army. Though comprised of mostly conscripts, their battlefield experience rendered them seasoned veterans, capable soldiers who had triumphed in countless conflicts against the state of Jian Xin. Thousands thundered across the field, their sights set on breaching the Ba Sing Se formation. Bolstered by sheer numbers and tenacity, the officers worked tirelessly to maintain a cohesive front, their determination unwavering in the face of impending battle.

"Charge!" An officer's cry rang out amidst the tumult of the river crossing, his jian held aloft as he urged his men onward. With a promise of reward for the first to breach the enemy's shield walls, determination burned bright in their eyes.

But the crossing of the Chu River was met with opposition as the Ba Sing Se soldiers orchestrated their own response. The resounding beat of heavy drums echoed across the battlefield, their rhythm guiding the movements of the Jian'er troops. In perfect synchronization, the heavy infantry chanted as one, hoisting their ji and banners high into the sky. The sight of this organized display struck fear into the hearts of the advancing Xiao Zhong soldiers, who sensed the palpable threat lurking behind the steel rectangular frames.

A lone Ba Sing Se officer bellowed, his jian drawn as the booming drums intensified and the chanting grew louder. Then, in a sudden silence, the soldiers in formation ceased their movements, allowing their adversaries a moment of realization before a cacophony of crossbow bolts was unleashed upon them.

The sky darkened swiftly.

As the first Xiao Zhong soldier reached the opposite shore, he was met with a grim spectacle. The ground beneath him transformed into a shadowed realm as a ballista bolt impaled him through the mouth, pinning his body in place as it skewered into the earth. Like a torrential downpour, arrows and bolts rained upon the Chu River, claiming the lives of the brave thousands who dared to challenge their better-equipped foes.

Agonized screams pierced the air as Xiao Zhong soldiers fell victim to the onslaught, their standard armor and conical helmets proving futile against the penetrating force of the enemy's crossbow bolts. Bolts from the regular siege crossbows wrought havoc among the vanguard, skewering multiple men with merciless precision.

As the battle raged on, the once-clear waters of the Chu River turned a deep crimson hue as men fell under the relentless barrage. Not even the relative cover of the shallow riverbed could shield them from the deadly rain of projectiles.

Cursing under his breath, Li Zhu'er watched in anguish as his soldiers were cut down with ruthless efficiency. With a grim determination, he swiftly issued orders for a detachment of mounted archers to flank the Ba Sing Se formation, targeting the siege weapons and crossbowmen hidden behind the shielded heavy infantry. The Xiao Zhong colonel eagerly relayed the command, leading a two hundred experienced cavalrymen to execute the maneuver. They navigated around the deadly crossfire, bypassing the chaotic melee where conscripts struggled to ford the river, until they reached the rear of the Ba Sing Se formation.

Before the colonel could order a swift strike to disrupt the enemy's vulnerable units, their advance was abruptly halted by another group of mounted warriors.

Emerging from an ambush, Qibi Heli led a horde of nomadic mounted archers, their steeds thundering over a sandy hilltop with ferocious enthusiasm. Soldiers adorned with two eagle feathers atop their helmets unleashed a hail of arrows from their composite bows, picking off Xiao Zhong riders with deadly accuracy. Some of the Ba Sing Se light cavalrymen employed ropes to hook the necks of their foes, dragging them from their mounts and across the unforgiving sand. The lightning-fast assault left chaos in its wake, but as Qibi Heli shouted commands in a language foreign to the Xiao Zhong soldiers, the nomadic warriors swiftly disengaged from the skirmish, dispersing in all directions and leaving the remaining outriders in disarray.

The unmistakable thunder of hooves reverberated through their minds as a formidable stampede bore down upon the Xiao Zhong cavalrymen. Towering beasts clad in gleaming silver lamellar armor charged forward, each carrying equally imposing riders upon their backs. Led by lieutenant Jang, a hundred elite cataphracts surged towards the Xiao Zhong mounted troops, their long lances poised to impale any foolish enough to oppose them. Every soldier among them is adorned in the heaviest and most protective armor in the Jian'er army, their shiny silver lamellar gleaming from head to toe. Together, they presented an image of an unstoppable tide of steel, asserting the undeniable superiority of their heavier equipment.

The cataphracts crashed into the Xiao Zhong cavalrymen with unstoppable force, their expensive lamellar armor rendering them impervious to the blows of swords and spears. Employing their lances with deadly precision, they impaled and beheaded their less-protected foes, turning the tide of battle decisively in their favor.

With a swift swing of his three-pointed polearm, Jang cleaved off the colonel's right arm, the jian falling from his grasp. In the blink of an eye, more than half of the Xiao Zhong army's mounted soldiers were decimated, offering no respite to those still struggling to cross the river under a hail of arrows.

"General, three thousand of our men have managed to cross over!" came the hopeful report amidst the chaos.

Li Zhu'er allowed himself a cautious optimism. Though heavy casualties are inevitable with such overwhelming opposition, the sheer strength of their numbers offered a glimmer of hope. Moreover, the experience and expertise of his soldiers, honed over two decades of conflict, are equally invaluable. In the crucible of war, even conscripts could transform into seasoned veterans, their skills and knowledge proving to be powerful assets against the odds they faced.

Swarms of Xiao Zhong vanguards launched a relentless assault, their numbers seeming endless as they surged towards the formidable shield wall. Bravery was met with a relentless barrage of arrows, Ba Sing Se's crossbowmen displaying mechanical efficiency as they impaled their targets. Though the Xiao Zhong bowmen charged alongside their comrades, their efforts to support the vanguard were thwarted by the unyielding metallic barrier that ensured the one-sided slaughter continued unabated.

With resounding roars, the Xiao Zhong soldiers clashed against the shield wall, spears and ji meeting in a cacophony of steel. A brutal pitch battle erupted as both sides sought to inflict damage with their polearms.

Despite the valor of the seasoned veterans who bravely faced the impeccable formation, their humble spears proved inadequate against the longer reach of the ji. Many fell victim to the versatile halberds, which deftly hooked and slashed at vulnerable points. While the additional blade on the ji inflicted grievous wounds to necks and legs, this allows the Ba Sing Se soldiers to efficiently whittle down the Xiao Zhong vanguard and maintaining their defensive stance.

As blood began to stain the still-unyielding wall of metal shields, the Xiao Zhong Earthbenders at last intervened. Those who managed to approach the fray unleashed their power, stomping the ground and hurling boulders at the shielded formation. Though some Ba Sing Se soldiers faltered momentarily under the force of the onslaught, they stood firm, prompting the Earthbenders to pool their strength and concentrate a larger mass in a concerted effort to breach the impregnable barrier.

"Fire!"

Mounted archers swiftly maneuvered to the rear of the Xiao Zhong Earthbenders, harassing them with a relentless barrage of arrows that forced the elite troops to divert their attention to defense rather than offense. Hindered by this assault, the thousands of Xiao Zhong vanguards pressed on with their pitched battle. Drawing on their experience, they focused their efforts on a single point, intent on breaking through the segment of Ba Sing Se heavy infantry unable to withstand the sheer onslaught of numbers.

Under the concentrated assault of their infantry, Xiao Zhong spearmen succeeded in pushing back a specific section of the shield wall, forming a bulge that threatened to rupture the enemy formation. As they advanced, they trampled over the bodies of veteran soldiers who had fought since the inception of their conflict with Jian Xin. Seeing signs of their adversaries faltering, the three thousand vanguards were reinforced by an additional two thousand fresh troops who had crossed the Chu River with minimal casualties. With their combined might, they aimed to exploit the breach and reach the Judge of Honghai's chariot to save An Qing'en.

"Proud sons of Xiao Zhong," Li Zhu'er couldn't help but commend the miraculous breakthrough. "You have surpassed all expectations."

Ordering the frontline assault to press on without relent, Li Zhu'er sought to rout the Ba Sing Se army with a single decisive thrust. Despite the dire circumstances, there is now a chance that An Qing'en could be rescued and returned to Xiao Zhong. Even if it meant facing his own demise at the hands of An Lushan, Li Zhu'er found solace in the possibility that their families might be spared from further punishment.

Despite the gruesome sight of Xiao Zhong soldiers being skewered and maimed by the blades of ji, the very ground itself trembled violently, drawing the attention of the combatants. Amidst the horror-stricken ranks of the Xiao Zhong vanguards, a behemoth emerged behind the rear of the Ba Sing Se formation. As the heavy infantry parted to make way, the metallic beast began its inexorable advance into the heart of the battle.

Like a lumbering behemoth awakened from a slumber, an iconic relic of the Earth Kingdom's past conflict with the Fire Nation emerged once more. Its aged yet formidable presence casting a shadow over the battlefield. This war machine, considered a relic of the Hundred Year War, exuded a grandeur of ingenuity long forgotten. As long as its challengers foolishly chose to confront its might on the ground, this metallic behemoth remained an unrivaled force, a peerless creature that have yet to be bested in direct combat. Even the metal humanoid piloted by An Qing'en seemed insignificant in comparison, a mere morsel for this indomitable titan.

"Tank!" A Xiao Zhong soldier's hysterical cry shattered the already fragile morale of the troops.

The sight of the steel behemoth advancing towards them struck fear into the hearts of many. Panic rippled through the ranks as the thousands of vanguard spearmen found themselves unable to retreat from the tightening grip of the battlefield. It was as if the Ba Sing Se troops had deliberately lured them into a trap, feigning weakness to draw them closer to the deadly phalanx wall.

Non-bending soldiers scrambled desperately to avoid the tank's path, some even attempting to clamber over their comrades in a desperate bid to save themselves. Meanwhile, Earthbenders strained against the relentless advance, hurling heavy boulders at the hardened exteriors in a futile attempt to halt its progress. Yet, their efforts were in vain as the tank continued its inexorable march forward, shrugging off the assault with ease. Even the sharp ballista bolts merely glanced harmlessly off its steel exterior.

"I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" came the anguished cries of a Xiao Zhong soldier, echoing the sentiments of many as they faced the unstoppable onslaught of the metallic titan.

As the behemoth closed in, the phalanx wall parted to welcome its arrival, revealing the Ba Sing Se coin insignia proudly displayed on its front. With inexorable force, it crushed all who dared stand in its path beneath the multi-segmented tracks. If this instrument of death could overwhelm even the most formidable defenses, then the weak flesh and bones of men could only hope for a swift end to their suffering.

Leaving a trail of carnage in its wake, the behemoth painted a wide swath of blood as it drove through the masses of men. Despite the valiant efforts of some Xiao Zhong Earthbenders to erect makeshift barricades of earth, such feeble defenses crumbled beneath the weight of its metallic hulls. With the Ba Sing Se coin insignia proudly leading the charge, it was a massacre as anything in the behemoth's path was mercilessly crushed. Some unlucky Xiao Zhong soldiers found themselves maimed, their legs crushed and lost beneath the relentless advance of the war machine. Their screams echoed unanswered as nearby Ba Sing Se soldiers deliberately prolonged their suffering, relishing in the agony they inflicted.

After hundreds had been ruthlessly crushed beneath the mighty relic of war, the remaining Xiao Zhong vanguards broke and fled in disarray. Volley after volley of crossbow fire decimated those attempting to retreat across the Chu River, leaving little chance for escape. In response, the Ba Sing Se drummers beat a different rhythm, signaling a shift in the tide of battle as the Ba Sing Se forces pursued their fleeing adversaries.

The heavy infantry, clad in imposing mountain pattern armor, resounded with a thunderous chant as they advanced in unison. Slowly and methodically, their heavy footsteps echoed through the moving forest of ji, each step a testament to the unyielding steel that encased them. The shield walls remained rigid, unbroken despite the advance towards the Chu River.

This majestic sight stirred an endless cloud of dust, the rhythmic thud of their footsteps creating the illusion of a single unstoppable entity poised to annihilate the Xiao Zhong intruders.

Li Zhu'er gripped the reins of his ostrich horse tightly, his mind racing as he surveyed the grim reality of their losses. With half of their army already fallen in the costly battle, he knew they faced an uphill battle against this formidable foe.

"So, this is the army that defeated Anguta," Li Zhu'er lamented, his voice tinged with resignation. "The heavens do not favor Xiao Zhong, to have placed such a dangerous man at our doorstep."

But as his gaze fell upon the Judge of Honghai's chariot, a glimmer of hope sparked within him. The slowly advancing formation of Ba Sing Se soldiers seemed to have neglected their own commander, who is guarded by only a hundred soldiers.

Sensing a potential trap, Li Zhu'er's mind raced with indecision again. Should he prioritize rescuing the vanguards stranded across the Chu River, or should he risk it all with a swift strike force to rescue An Qing'en from the clutches of the enemy? The weight of his decision hung heavy upon him as the fate of his army and his allies rested in his hands.

With a heavy heart, the general made a difficult choice, ordering the heavy war chariots to attempt another flanking maneuver, this time escorted by the remaining cavalry.

As the massive infantry formation of Ba Sing Se pushed the Xiao Zhong vanguards towards the Chu River, the strike force deftly circumvented the chaos, hoping the sacrifice of their comrades would create an opportunity to rescue Lord An Qing'en. They soon arrived at the vicinity of the Judge of Honghai, no longer guarded by the advancing shield walls of the main heavy infantry.

With only a mere hundred soldiers defending the general's personal chariot, the strike force expressed cautious confidence in overwhelming the enemy commander.

"Show no hesitation!" the commanding Xiao Zhong officer declared from atop a thundering chariot. With resolve, he ordered the heavier war chariots to ram straight into the shield wall surrounding the Judge of Honghai. Facing the lethal thrusts of the long ji, many charioteers and ostrich horses would inevitably perish. However, the initial breakthrough would leave the Ba Sing Se infantry momentarily dazed, unable to immediately reform their defenses and creating a gap for Xiao Zhong's elite riders to exploit.

The impact was devastating as chariots crashed into the line of shields, ostrich horses impaled by ji and showered with arrows. Many chariots were overturned, landing upon Ba Sing Se heavy infantrymen who failed to evade the onslaught. For the Xiao Zhong charioteers who fell during this suicidal charge, their bodies are mercilessly skewered by polearms, flesh torn apart by blades. Amidst the chaos, a brief disarray among the bodyguards protecting the Judge of Honghai created a small opening, allowing the Xiao Zhong cavalrymen to surge through. Fifty mounted troops raced towards the chariot holding An Qing'en captive, their hearts set on rescuing their lord from his captors.

Eerily absent were the soldiers who typically guarded the commanding chariot. The cavalrymen advanced toward the masked sentinel, his gaze unyielding as he sharpened the colossal glaive. His stance mirrored that of a seasoned butcher, poised to rend apart the still breathing An Qing'en.

An Qing'en's desperate pleas for aid fell upon deaf ears, the metallic embrace of chains digging into his flesh, constricting his very essence.

With reckless determination, the first Xiao Zhong soldier reached for the captive lord, only to meet a swift end as the glaive severed his conical helmet. Another, attempting to free An Qing'en from his shackles, found himself cleaved in twain by the sentinel's deadly blade.

Two mounted archers unleashed their deadly arrows upon the Judge of Honghai. One arrow ricocheted off the sturdy mask helmet, its metallic clang echoing across the battlefield, while the other met the unyielding resistance of the glaive's shaft.

With a predator's instinct, a Xiao Zhong warrior seized the opportunity, lunging at the Ba Sing Se general with a vicious swing of his axe. But the strike was met with a swift parry. The masked warrior countered with a brutal slam of his glaive's shaft at the face, shattering bone and contorting flesh as the opponent's nose yielded to the force.

Yet, the display of defiance only fueled the Ba Sing Se general's resolve. With an imperious gaze, he turned his attention to the oncoming tide of soldiers, their determination palpable in the air. In one fluid motion, his glaive cleaved through their defenses, severing heads from shoulders as if scything through wheat.

But the lesson had not been fully imparted. With a steely resolve, the glaive arced once more, its deadly edge finding purchase against a Xiao Zhong soldier's desperate defense. The clash of metal against metal was brief but telling, as the enemy's own blade was turned against him, its lethal intent redirected toward his own neck.

To demonstrate the futility of their endeavor, the Judge of Honghai seized an injured foe with his right arm, a silent testament to his overwhelming strength. Gripping the man's leg, he repeatedly slammed the helpless body at the ground, each impact a symphony of bone-shattering force and visceral release. Bones, skin, innards and other parts of the body that is too gruesome to describe, gradually fell out of the victim. As the once defiant form lay broken and unrecognizable, the Ba Sing Se general cast aside the lifeless husk, a grim reminder of the consequences that awaited those who dared to rescue An Qing'en.

The grim fate of their comrades instilled hesitation among the remaining Xiao Zhong soldiers, yet any inklings of retreat were swiftly extinguished by the urgent beat of drums. The circular shield wall closed in, a fortress of iron encasing their trapped adversaries. Ba Sing Se's warriors turned their polearms inward, confronting the Xiao Zhong soldiers whose resolve wavered within the tightening grip of fate.

"W-we surrender!" one of the Xiao Zhong soldiers capitulated, dismounting his ostrich warhorse in a hurried scramble for mercy.

Fury flared within the unit leader at this display of weakness. Even if they were to succeed in rescuing An Qing'en, escape now seemed an impossible dream.

"Do not falter!" the Xiao Zhong officer's voice rang out, commanding his troops. "We cannot allow the sacrifices of our brethren to be in vain. If we cannot liberate Lord An Qing'en, then we shall vanquish the Judge of Honghai!"

In the realm of strategic games where battles unfold upon checkered fields, victory often hinges upon the capture of the enemy general. But this is no mere game, no simulation played out upon a tabletop. The Judge of Honghai loomed as a formidable adversary, a challenge not to be underestimated nor taken lightly.

With a sickening thud, the glaive slammed into the spine of a lifeless body, tearing through pale segments of flesh to further torment the Xiao Zhong soldiers with horror. The most fragile among them dropped his spear, its shaft adorned with the flag of his state, and collapsed to the ground in a pitiful display of surrender. As the Judge of Honghai approached with deliberate steps, his glaive tracing lines in the sand, the trembling soldier could only cower before him.

"You coward!" the Xiao Zhong officer's scorn was venomous. "You have brought shame upon us all! Twenty years of service, only to resort to this? How would the general feel to learn that the boy he rescued from the rubble has become such an ungrateful wretch?"

Surrender may offer a chance at survival. The frightened soldier incessantly pleaded to be allowed to return to his wife and children, perhaps hoping to elicit sympathy from the Ba Sing Se general.

However, what was intended as a plea for mercy took a surprising turn as the Ba Sing Se general's gaze fixated on a jade ring adorning the surrendered soldier's arm. Such adornments are often tokens of affection, intended as gifts for women.

Yet this ring bore the unmistakable stain of blood.

An armored hand reached out, seizing a golden pendant hanging from the soldier's neck. The Xiao Zhong soldier froze, his voice silenced, as the masked general opened the locket, revealing a stained portrait of a couple. Though smeared with blood, it was evident that the man in the picture is not the same as the one wearing the pendant.

The metallic mask, its features frozen in a mask of anger, slowly turned to fixate on the panicked soldier. Suddenly, the Judge of Honghai leaned in close, his intentions whispered into the ears of the trembling Xiao Zhong man.

Whatever transpired in that whispered exchange elicited a scream of terror from the surrendered soldier, as if his very spirit was forcibly torn from his body and shattered into a million fragments. Without resorting to brute force, the soldier collapsed, his body succumbing to unconsciousness. It seemed there is a fate worse than death awaiting him.

Seizing the moment, the Xiao Zhong officer swiftly sought to rally his troops, emphasizing the dire consequences of surrendering to the soldiers of Ba Sing Se.

"These mere patrolmen are no match for you! The one who claims the head of the Judge of Honghai shall be richly rewarded!" The officer proclaimed, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and desperation.

Before he could finish, the glaive was hurled with deadly precision, impaling the officer's leg. Retrieving his weapon in a fluid motion, the masked warrior unleashed a whirlwind of devastation, cleaving through men encased in heavy armor with chilling efficiency. Limbs were severed, bodies rent asunder, and the battlefield is painted red with the blood of fallen foes. The hundred Ba Sing Se soldiers, who had ensured the area was cordoned off from the main battlefield, watched in silence as their general single-handedly decimated the remaining cavalrymen, his actions at times bordering on a gruesome ballet of death.

The only beings spared from the carnage were the ostrich horses, not a single feather out of place. As for the surviving Xiao Zhong soldiers, rendered incapacitated but still breathing, they are soon dragged away by Ba Sing Se soldiers holding blunt meat cleavers, with straw baskets fully covering their heads.

With the brief ordeal concluded, the Judge of Honghai turned his gaze towards An Qing'en, who trembled in fear at the sight of the imposing figure clad in glistening armor. The futile and costly rescue attempt came to a dismal end as the Ba Sing Se sentinel signaled the heavy drummers, their thunderous beats reverberating with a deafening intensity that seemed to rend the very air itself.

...

General Li Zhu'er's grip on his sword faltered as he witnessed the last loyal cavalrymen fall, their bodies cleaved in twain by the enigmatic figure who shrouded his identity from the world. These were the most steadfast soldiers, comrades who had weathered countless campaigns together, now reduced to lifeless husks at the hands of this faceless adversary.

The consequences of this failed flanking maneuver reverberated even further as the fleeing Xiao Zhong vanguards found no respite. Hindered by the river's sluggish current, their desperate flight turned into a massacre as Ba Sing Se's crossbowmen picked them off one by one.

With only three thousand infantries remaining under his command and the bulk of the Xiao Zhong forces either slain or retreated to their commander's side across the Chu River, General Li Zhu'er found himself with limited options. Devoid of mobile units, he could only rely on the firepower of his artillery.

"That drum, it's unbearable," muttered one of the Xiao Zhong soldiers nearby, hands clamped over his ears in a futile attempt to block out the deafening noise.

Li Zhu'er shared their frustration, unable to discern the purpose behind the thunderous cacophony save for its irritating effect on their morale. Before he could unleash a devastating volley of projectiles upon the Ba Sing Se soldiers who defiantly remained on the opposite bank, the ground beneath them trembled violently.

The earthquake-like tremors left many Xiao Zhong soldiers struggling to maintain their footing. The remaining ostrich horses are startled. As the tremors subsided, experienced troops swiftly regained their composure, retrieving their weapons. Yet, as one officer stooped to retrieve his fallen sword, a massive tusk erupted from the earth, impaling him effortlessly.

General Li Zhu'er and his dwindling forces stood in shocked disbelief as another colossal creature emerged, launching an ambush from the depths in the most inconspicuous manner. Covered in dense brown fur, the beast stood on four sturdy legs, its vestigial eyes accustomed to the darkness of the underground. But it is obvious that this is no mere wild animal who accidentally stumbled into a battle between humans.

A figure clad in grey chainmail controlled the creature with practiced skill, unleashing a roar that sent the beast into a frenzy. On top the enormous body is also a large wooden tower, filled with archers who immediately unleashed arrows at nearby Xiao Zhong soldiers.

Unlike the unwieldy steel fortress hindered by the river, this natural behemoth knew no bounds imposed by the environment. Capable of decimating thousands with ease, this living terror was further augmented by Ba Sing Se's cruel ingenuity, armed with metal tusks that gleamed ominously, one of which still bore the impaled body of a Xiao Zhong officer.

"A Badgermole!" One of the Xiao Zhong engineers screamed a note of horror in his voice. In the Earth Kingdom, this creature held immense significance, revered as one of the four original benders whose legend permeated folk tales and architectural design. Though the Badgermole's role in teaching mankind to harness the element of Earth was celebrated in cultural lore, there are aspects of its power that remained beyond mortal comprehension.

Peroz, a figure among the chaos, produced an instrument that have weathered and rusted with age. It is a horn with exotic design, producing a tone that is even more unfamiliar to the average Earth Kingdom folk.

In response to its haunting melody, the Badgermole rose, its massive form slamming into the ground with a force that sent shockwaves rippling through the earth. The impact obliterated an entire row of catapults and ballistas, claiming the lives of all the engineers in its wake.

As the dust settled, the ambush intensified with the emergence of hundreds of heavily armored Jian'er troops from the newly formed tunnel. Exploiting the chaos wrought by the Badgermole's earth-shattering display, shock troops armed with deadly single-edged blades and double-arc shields surged forward, cutting down any who dared oppose them. Li Zhu'er attempted to rally his forces, but the sudden onslaught left his soldiers reeling, struggling to fend off the unexpected assault from behind.

Amidst the turmoil, the main bulk of the Ba Sing Se army advanced methodically across the river, maintaining their formidable square formation with the support of Earthbenders who fashioned a bridge for their steel fortress to cross. With the threat looming from the front, half of the remaining Xiao Zhong forces are forced to divert their attention to defend against the advancing enemy.

But even amidst the chaos, terror found its own cruel symphony. The Ba Sing Se general, a behemoth clad in formidable armor, personally led the charge from his heavily armored chariot. With every thunderous advance, the ground trembled beneath the weight of his wrath.

Using the cacophony of An Qing'en's screams as a chilling accompaniment, the Judge of Honghai sharpened his glaive with the chariot's steel wheels, each rotation grinding away any semblance of mercy. As the chariot thundered into the heart of the Xiao Zhong ranks, heads rolled in its wake, severed by the relentless swing of the glaive.

The air crackled with the anticipation of violence as the glaive arced widely, a whirlwind of destruction unleashed upon those who dared to stand against the Judge of Honghai. Amidst the chaos, screams mingled with the metallic symphony of clashing steel, painting a portrait of unbridled havoc wrought upon those who had braced themselves for the inevitable impact.

To compound Li Zhu'er's despair, another sudden attack from the right flank saw a wave of gleaming silver cataphracts crashing into the vulnerable Xiao Zhong archers, who had been preparing to engage the towering Badgermole. This onslaught further destabilized the already precarious situation, as the main Ba Sing Se infantry relentlessly pushed through the Xiao Zhong spearmen in a brutal melee.

Meanwhile, Peroz's Badgermole unleashed its fury, its twin tusks swinging with deadly precision, tearing through flesh and bone as it wrought havoc upon the encircled Xiao Zhong soldiers. With elite cataphracts and the larger enemy formation bearing down upon them, the dwindling three thousand troops found themselves with only one option left.

"The left side is clear! We can still make our escape!" The desperate cry echoed through the chaos, drawing General Li Zhu'er's attention. Indeed, the left flank appeared devoid of enemy forces, a tempting path to potential salvation. But as the moving steel fortress finally arrived to ensnare the trapped soldiers in its deadly embrace, any lingering hesitation about desertion vanished. Men were crushed beneath the relentless advance of the monstrous machine, their agonized screams filling the air and driving many Xiao Zhong soldiers to flee, heedless of their loyalty to their general.

"Do not retreat!" Li Zhu'er's voice rang out, deflecting an incoming crossbow bolt with his sword. The Ba Sing Se heavy infantry closed in, their deadly ji spears piercing through the ranks of bodyguard soldiers as they advanced towards the Xiao Zhong general. "Escape through the left flank and you will meet your end! It is a trap laid by the enemy!"

His warnings fell on deaf ears. The most loyal and fearless among Li Zhu'er's followers, including his son Zaoju and the disciplined cavalrymen, already fell in their valiant attempt to rescue An Qing'en. These conscripts and militias lacked the professionalism to stand firm in the face of such overwhelming odds.

The ranks around Li Zhu'er crumbled as Xiao Zhong soldiers fled, leaving their allies to be slaughtered mercilessly. A skilled tactician would recognize that presenting a perceived escape route to a cornered foe could shatter their resolve to fight to the bitter end. Large swathes of spearmen broke ranks and fled the battlefield, while the heavy infantry of Ba Sing Se pressed their advantage, methodically eliminating the remaining intruders with ruthless efficiency. The advancing shield wall was soon dyed crimson with the blood of fallen enemies, much like the iron tusks of the rampaging Badgermole.

Amidst the chaos, a glimmer of hope flickered as the flag of Xiao Zhong's banner appeared on the horizon. Li Zhu'er's heart leaped with anticipation, believing that the reinforcements he had requested had finally arrived. Yet, his hopes were dashed when it became apparent that the bearer of the banner was none other than the messenger he had dispatched before venturing into Ba Sing Se territory. The rider was nowhere to be seen, leaving behind only a severed arm still clutching the reins of his ostrich horse.

Li Zhu'er surveyed the grim tableau unfolding around him, a sinking realization dawning upon him. Perhaps, from the moment he laid eyes on the jawless man emerging from the fog, he should have recognized the true purpose behind capturing An Qing'en. It is simply a bait to lure in unsuspecting rescuers for a one-sided slaughter.

With a heavy heart, Li Zhu'er resigned himself to his fate. Only two hundred Xiao Zhong soldiers remained, valiantly resisting the relentless onslaught, each man falling beneath the merciless rain of polearms. It was only a matter of time before he too would meet his end.

Raising his jian to his throat, Li Zhu'er prepared to take his own life rather than relegating himself at the mercy of others. But before he could act, an arrow struck the blade, knocking it from his hand.

The precision of the shot came from Jang, who swiftly traded the bow for his trusty lance. Mounted atop his scarlet ostrich horse, he led a charge of cataphracts, aiming to capture the beleaguered enemy general.

As the battlefield neared its conclusion, the agony and anguish of the Xiao Zhong forces reverberated across the Chu River. Watching from the battlements of the wooden fort, the two sisters observed Li Zhu'er being knocked off his ostrich horse. What haven't reached that man's eyes is the sight of his fleeing soldiers being hunted down by Ba Sing Se's mounted archers, who treated their ambush like hunters poaching their prey. In the end, not a single Xiao Zhong soldier managed to escape.

"Lucky these people are not our enemy," Mayumi remarked about the Ba Sing Se soldiers. But that didn't bring any smiles to Satchiko, who stared at the distant carnage with much emotion. Considering the brutal ways in how the soldiers under the Judge of Honghai killed their foes, yes, it is indeed a lucky day.

The fields around the Chu River became greener, littered with the bodies of Xiao Zhong soldiers in the thousands. To think that a small border incident can kill so many people is a frightening prospect, especially for a teenager who ventured off their little island for the first time.

Though they had been spared, the sisters understood that their ordeal is far from over. Vigilance remained paramount, a constant reminder of the precariousness of their situation.

As the victorious Ba Sing Se soldiers marched back to their camp with their captives in tow, the Judge of Honghai lingered on the blood-soaked battlefield. Unfazed by the carnage around him, he walked among the fallen while the once glistening is almost drenched in blood. His path unbroken even by the sensation of skulls beneath his feet. Upon reaching an injured ostrich horse, he offered a tender touch, soothing its pain as best he could. Yet, in this gesture of compassion, he could not undo the tragic toll exacted upon innocent creatures by the folly of mankind.

End of Chapter Notes:

-The Judge of Honghai and his army are inspired from Tang dynasty's armies. Thus, various people, armor(such as the vaguely referenced minguang armor) and other miscellaneous are derived from it. Aside from Tang Chinese, there are also various influences inspired from other groups during that period, including Turks, Sogdians, Silla Koreans and Sasanian Persia.

-At this point in time, there has been no canon depiction of the Badgermole as a tool for war.

-The polearm named Ji may be often branded as a halberd but can be considered as its own weapon.

-The Chu River is a reference to the barrier that divides a board for the game Xiangqi, which itself is also a reference to the Battle of Gaixia, the final major conflict for the war of Chu-Han contention. Contrary to the rule of Xiangqi pieces for the 'elephant', the minor battle depicted in this chapter allows both the Earthbending-powered tank and the Badgermole venture across the river.