Happy Tricolour Day to my Italian readers, and Merry Christmas to those of the Orthodox faith celebrating it today!
Responses to Reviews:
RonaldM40196867: You never know, that might be a project Chikao and the rest of the actors decide to take on at some point...
Zigzagdoublezee: Yes, Mai and Zuko will be going with them. There is a chance they will be recognised there, so they'll have to be careful, but for the most part they'll be safely backstage. But who would expect to see the Prince of the Fire Nation bring a chair on stage for a troupe of refugee actors?
As Always, Please Review!
Iroh awoke to the sound of a deafening explosion.
Groaning, he rolled out of bed and went to open the door, to tell the nearest officer to keep the noise down, when a second explosion, and then a third, and fourth, rang through the camp.
At once his mind sharpened, and all tiredness left him as adrenaline replaced it. This was an attack.
He dashed around the room, gathering up his robes and throwing them on, but for the sake of time he left his armour. Hurriedly, he clipped the scabbard containing his ceremonial sword to his belt. Then he made for the door.
Outside was a scene of pandemonium. Officers, who had been poring over maps or preparing to go to bed until a few seconds ago, were dashing around seemingly with no clue of what to do. Iroh heard another loud bang from outside, a sound unlike anything he had heard before. It set his teeth on edge, and made him feel a bit like running away every time it sounded.
He rushed for the main entrance to his headquarters, knowing he had to get a better view from outside.
The main camp was, likewise, a display of total confusion. Soldiers rushed around, shouting and screaming and grabbing for any weapons or armour they could find. A lone tank charged down the street, its commander very obviously only half dressed.
All the while, projectiles from Earth Kingdom artillery mounted on the walls or firing in high arcs from behind them continued to soar overhead, silhouetted against the night sky. Iroh watched one land a short distance away and explode with a bright flash and that same booming sound, which made nearby soldiers collapse to the ground clutching their ears or simply turn and run.
He frowned. That didn't look like a blasting jelly explosion. And it didn't sound like one either.
"What's going on?" He demanded as General Norimasa approached.
"I don't know! That's what we're trying to find out!"
Men continued rushing about around them, but as Iroh looked at them, listened to the shouting and screaming and clanging of metal, he realised something. Some of them were wearing Earth Kingdom military uniforms.
"I'll tell you what's going on!" He jabbed a finger at Norimasa. "They've come out to attack us!"
He cursed silently. The Fire Nation had been assuming that their enemies, confident in the strength of their walls and knowing the record of Earth Kingdom field armies in the open, would be content to sit behind their defences and react to what Iroh's army was doing. But it seemed as if the Earth King and his generals were going to be more proactive than that.
Norimasa grabbed his arm.
"We have to get you to safety, My Prince."
Iroh wrenched out of his grip.
"No," he said. "Not yet."
He turned to look around. Fire Nation officers were yelling, trying to marshal tired and scared looking soldiers into rudimentary battle lines. Iroh watched as the ground split open beneath one, and his authoritative shouting abruptly turned into a scream as he plummeted into the hole. A moment later, it closed up over him, and he was silenced. Iroh could only stare at where he had been in horrified silence, until another explosion brought him back to reality.
The soldiers wavered, but maintained their battle line, nervously pointing spears and swords out into the darkness. But no Earth Kingdom line of battle advanced to meet them. This wasn't that sort of attack.
Iroh breathed in and out, doing his best to calm himself. His men needed him, and he was a representative of the Fire Nation's Royal Family. He could not be seen doing anything other than his duty, no matter what the Earth Kingdom fired at him from their trebuchets.
He drew his sword and stepped forwards, shouting encouragement to his men. They turned to look at him, and seemed to draw strength from his resolve, for they tightened ranks. Some even cheered a little.
Then Iroh heard it. The sound of battle coming from behind him. From the headquarters he had just emerged from.
"Keep them steady!" He shouted at Norimasa as he turned and dashed back the way he had come. He could see flames licking at one of the windows, and as he burst in he could see three earthbenders attacking the officers, rocks and fireballs criss-crossing the room, while a fourth rifled through every desk drawer, cabinet and bookcase he could reach, no doubt seeing what he could learn about their plans. One of the officers went down, taking a pebble to the skull, and another had enough and leapt out of the nearest window.
"Wait!" Iroh called, and the earthbenders all swivelled to look at him.
There was a beat of silence. And then the three who had been fighting the officers turned and charged him, firing small stones at him with immense force. Iroh kicked over a table and jumped behind it, hearing the crack of several earthen projectiles slamming into it. Then he placed both hands on it, and channeled firebending power into his palms. He withdrew his hands, and then slammed them back into the wood, sending enough force through the table to launch it across the room towards the men at great speed. He saw one earthbender's eyes widen just before it crashed into him, slamming him into the wall behind him.
The Firebender jumped to his feet. The remaining two earthbenders looked at each other. One of them drew a knife.
"You look important," he said. "Too important to lose."
He charged, swinging the knife with deadly intent. Iroh ducked out of the way, and then managed to knock the blade aside, causing the man to accidentally swing it towards his compatriot. The other man was forced to retreat.
The knife-wielder came at him again, and managed to slash him across the arm; Iroh yelped in pain, but with his other arm he grabbed the knife-hand, holding it steady as he superheated his palm again. The man dropped the knife, yelling in pain, and then fell to his knees, clutching his wrist.
Iroh let go and stepped over him, but he saw only the ground closing up where the two remaining earthbenders had escaped. He raised his hand and extinguished the fire.
"Invader," the remaining conscious earthbender spat at him. "Ash-maker."
Iroh didn't even acknowledge him. He suddenly realised the artillery bombardment was over. The sounds of battle had ceased. As quickly as the earthbenders had appeared, they had gone again. Their raid was over.
All Iroh could hear now was the moaning of the wounded and dying their attack had left in its wake, and the crackling of flames outside.