Once Ivan collected his bearings, Dimtiriev helped him up, and he, along with the other Guard Officers, rushed outside to see what all the commotion was about. However, when they left the building, he found Nikolai waiting atop Adriel, surrounded by more men of the gendarme, the Officers, and the civilians previously gathered inside. "Gentlemen, Officers of the Ruskian Army!" he shouted. "Return to your units and rally here in thirty minutes. Today, we march on the palace!"
"URA, URA, URA!" The Officers cheered before saluting or bowing and doing as ordered, and they quickly dispersed in whatever direction their Regiments lay. While Ivan had questions, he figured his father would answer them later when they had a moment.
After the Ruskians left, Kossuth and Haller approached Nikolai, each bearing a scowl and burns across their faces from where the waitress had bent the tea. "It has been a pleasure, Grand Duke," Kossuth began, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But, seeing as we have done as you have asked, I think it's time we departed."
Nikolai nearly chuckled at their appearance but instead shook his head. "Very well, gentlemen," he began before pointing toward the hole in the wall. "You may leave," he said, as both men nodded before they departed, followed by their subordinates.
Mai stood impatient outside the "barracks," waiting for the Officers to return. Of course, she'd wanted to go with them, but the Colonel refused. But, when she heard explosions, she tried to leave and investigate, but the guards told her to wait, so she did until the Officers came into view. Mai quickly noted that they seemed a little shaken, but otherwise, they appeared as usual. So, quickly picking out her favourite, she slowly walked forward. "Hey. What happened?" She asked before falling into step beside him.
Antonov shook his head. "Not much. Though Ivan nearly got roasted," he told her. "Turns out the owners were people wanted by your country."
Mai's eyes suddenly widened, and she stopped momentarily before catching up with him. "What do you mean? What people?"
They continued, passing the threshold of the entrance to the complex. "The man who attacked had a nasty scar on his face and could create fireballs from punches. He almost hurt Ivan if he hadn't acted fast enough. There was also a girl who could move water, though I didn't get a good look at her."
Mai narrowed her eyes. A scarred Firebender wanted by the Fire Nation? It couldn't be, could it? "This man, what did he look like?"
Suddenly, Alexeev butted in. "I'm sorry, Miss Mai. But we need to assemble the men," he said before turning to Sergei. "Lieutenant, find your men and join the rest of your battalion."
Antonov saluted sharply. "Of course, Sir," he said as the Colonel saluted back before rushing further. Once he was gone, he turned to Mai and sighed. "I'm sorry, Mai. But I'll have to answer your questions later," he said before following after his superior.
When she was alone, Mai began her walk back to the gate, as she knew better than to be in the way. As she went, she carefully considered the information he'd given her. If it was Zuko, which was a distinct possibility, then it made sense he would have acted in that way. Smiling slightly, she recalled the boy who'd never thought things through, always getting into trouble with his Father or Azula. Of course, she was Azula's friend first, though she always treated her more like an accessory or a tool, but with Zuko, things were different. Unlike Azula, who she felt merely saw her skills as an asset for her plans, she enjoyed spending time with the young Prince, even if he could be an idiot sometimes. They joked and played games, and as much as the Princess loved to tease them. In time, she came to love Zuko. But then came that horrible day, the day he got his scar. It may have been three years ago, but she never forgot. She remembered Azula's cruel smirk as she watched alongside her family, how proud she looked as Zuko's father pushed his hand to his face before igniting it. But most of all, she remembered his pleas, how he begged Ozai to forgive him, and his screams when the Firelord refused. After that, her father forbade her from seeing him as he didn't want her to harm his career by hanging out with a man who, in his eyes, shamed his family and nation. She wasn't even allowed to see him off when he left into exile in search of the Avatar.
As the teens and Iroh moved through the tunnel, Katara couldn't help but feel disturbed by what her friend had done. Sure, she'd seen battles before, but the Waterbender had never witnessed death in such proximity, let alone it being one of her friends who'd performed the killing blow. Of course, in the heat of the moment, she hadn't given it any consideration, but now that she had time to contemplate, she could feel her stomach turning over at the thought of his guts spilling out. "Hey, uh, Toph, about what you did back there-"
Rather than turn, Toph continued Earthbending the tunnel. "Yeah, kinda sick, huh? I figured out how to do it after two knuckleheads decided it would be a good idea to shove yours truly in a metal box," she proudly declared. "Turns out metal's made of earth. Who knew?"
Katara, caught off guard by her statement, realized that, in the heat of the moment, she and her comrades had failed to address that particular ability, even when she cleaned her wounds and found no metal fragments. "Wait, you can bend metal?" Zuko piped up from behind her.
"Yep. You're looking at the creator of a new type of bending," Toph boasted while continuing in her work. "Pretty neat, huh?"
"Well, that is quite impressive, especially from one so young," Iroh chimed as he used his bending to keep the tunnel lit.
"Thanks, Iroh," she replied while maintaining her focus. After about half an hour, she changed her stance before jetting them up the surface, and they found themselves amid the middle ring. Toph could sense it was largely devoid of activity, and most people stayed in their homes or makeshift tents. In the streets were crowds of aimless refugees waiting for what happened next. When they popped out of the ground, they startled those closest to them, but most seemed more concerned with personal matters and hardly reacted. After taking a moment to recover from the rays of the blazing sun, Toph turned to her companions. "Okay, if we travel quickly, we should reach the house in an hour or two," she said as she breathed before continuing.
"I ask again: Does she know where she's going?" Iroh asked.
Katara shrugged. "Probably, but it's hard to tell."
As the three began following the Earthbender, Zuko turned to Katara. "Do you know where we're going?"
She thought for a moment before nodding. "I remember, so it should be fine," she replied. Since the incident, she hadn't spoken to Zuko much, so she wasn't sure what else to say.
Long Feng sat in his office, alone, as usual. The King remained, but the bulk of the army had already fled, and the partisans were awaiting the order to move. So, the Grand Secretariat sighed as he waited for the Ruskians to arrive, bringing about the "official" end to hostilities. At least until Long Feng suddenly heard a knock on the door. "Yes?" he called.
An agent walked in and bowed. "The Avatar's been sighted, Sir. He should arrive in two and a half hours. Also, there was an incident involving the Dragon of the West, the banished Prince, and the Southern Water Tribe Princess earlier today. My men wish to know if we should engage the Ruskians or aide our allies in any way?"
Long Feng took a moment to consider his options. If the Avatar was on his way, there was no doubt of a conflict, especially if one had happened already, speaking of which: "And what was the nature of this incident?"
"From what our informants gathered, our foes were trying to apprehend them to hand them over to the Fire Nation. But they escaped, leaving one dead and several wounded," he expressed.
"And where are they now?" He asked as he leaned over the table.
"They are on their way here, Sir, last sighted in the Middle Ring."
Long Feng stroked his beard. "Hm. I see," he replied. "And what of the enemy? Have they begun moving yet?"
The nodded. "Yes. But our foes are still in the Lower Ring."
The Grand Secretariat pondered. If the boy was on his way back, then that meant he had probably done as he'd asked and mastered the Avatar State. And if that was the case, he wanted to be as far as possible when conflict erupted again in case the boy repeated his actions during the siege of the Northern Water Tribe when the Avatar single-handedly destroyed half the Fire Nation fleet. However, he couldn't escape, at least not yet, as that would be too suspicious. "Very well," he replied at last. "Have our agents keep tabs on them, but don't engage, and tell the people to stay away from the palace. I don't need any collateral damage from the Avatar's antics," he told the agent, who bowed before leaving to relay his orders. Once he left, Long Feng sighed deeply. "I hope he doesn't destroy the entire palace, but at least the Ruskians should be gone," he said before standing up. "Now, it is time to ensure our "guests" feel comfortable," Long Feng stood up and exited his office before heading toward the palace kitchens and ordering the cooks to prepare a banquet. Next, he gathered what servants remained and had them assemble to prepare the feast, attempting to make everything appear normal to stall until the boy returned to find the would-be conquerors with their proverbial pants down. Yes, they could poison the food, but Long Feng wasn't sure if that would work in this situation, given they were already in the city and outnumbered his dismal forces significantly. Yet, more than that, he didn't want to risk his life or those of his men on such a gamble when the boy could do their work for him.
When Azula stirred from her slumber, she opened her eyes to find herself in an unfamiliar place. Screams could be heard from beyond the entrance, putting her in a state of paranoia, thinking this to be another of dreams. Feeling threatened, she jumped out of the bed and readied a Firebending stance as the door opened. Reacting quickly, she shifted her body to face the door, her chi dancing on the tips of her fingers until she turned to the man in the doorway, who raised his hands. The man appeared in his mid-thirties, with tan skin, amber eyes, and a black goatee. "Wait, Your Highness," he said, his voice registering as her Captain despite him wearing a brown rag. Of course, she'd never seen his face, as it was against protocol for him to be in her presence without his helmet.
"Captain?" She questioned as she lowered her arms.
The man quickly bowed to her in the Fire Nation style. "Yes, Your Highness," he began. "I apologize for the confusion, but the Grand Duke didn't want to leave us in the Bulwark," he explained.
Azula cocked her brow in response. "Then, why are you dressed in a rag, Captain?"
"He did not want us to be detected."
Azula walked over to a mirror and found herself stripped of her royal regalia. Instead, she wore a set of white undergarments, and her crown was missing. "Captain, where are my clothes and my hairpiece?"
"I'm sorry, but we had to destroy them to ensure no one else caught your illness. We got you some extras, and I have your crown," the Captain began before standing up and leaning out into the hallway. "However, he did provide you with this," he said, pulling out another cloak similar to the one he wore but smaller while keeping his gaze averted.
Azula couldn't help but feel insulted. Why would he give her such a thing? Yet, as she looked at it, she couldn't help but recognize the purpose behind it. If she were to go venturing out into Ba Sing Se, the Princess supposed it made sense to don a disguise. After all, her plan B was to do the same with the uniforms of the Kiyoshi warriors. "Very well, Captain. Now, bring me my clothes."
The man quickly nodded and left. When he returned, he handed Azula her things and left her to change, which she did, before throwing on the cloak. Once dressed, she ventured out of the room to find herself in an unremarkable hallway with doors at every interval. Ruskians moved in and out, carrying triages with wounded men in various conditions. "What now, Your Highness?"
"Where are we?" she asked.
"We are currently inside a hospital in the Lower Ring," he began, causing her to pause. "Both Grand Dukes have departed, along with the ladies Mai and Ty Lee," he stated.
Suddenly, Azula felt her mind go into overdrive as she considered the repercussions of what he'd just said: If they were in the Lower Ring, how long had she been out? Disregarding this for now, she shook her head and cocked a brow. "Where did they go?" She questioned.
"They left for the palace," he told her.
The Princess blinked several times as she took it in: The Ruskians were marching on the palace without her. The nerve! "Very well," she began. "Then we'll have to follow them. Come, Captain, I don't want to miss this!" She shouted as she picked a direction and began storming off.
Upon hearing him clear his throat, she turned on him with narrowed eyes. "Uh, Your Highness, the entrance is this way?" he said, gesturing the other way. Her mouth agape for several seconds, she brushed off the comment. She marched in the opposite direction, bypassing the man, who rolled his eyes once she was out of eyesight before following dutifully behind her.
An hour and a bit later, Nikolai's busy day was carrying on. In the aftermath of the incident at the teahouse, Nikolai found himself with at least a dozen wounded and four dead, unrelated to regular warfare. (one of which was a Lieutenant of the Gendarmes) At the same time, the suspects had disappeared, but he figured his men would deal with them later. Yes, they killed one of his men and possibly three others, wounded a cadre of officers and gendarmes, and left the Senior Inspector out cold with a facial injury. But, as the evening approached, he couldn't allow such things to distract him from the bigger picture. At the moment, he was at the head of the column, marching toward the inner ring of the city, looking out toward the crowds gathered out of curiosity to watch them.
Alongside him rode his remaining commanders, and behind rode the cavalry. After them marched the infantry, and the field artillery carried up the rear. The siege guns weren't with him. With their purpose fulfilled, he dismissed General Kraznov on his way into the city and sent him and his men back to Ruskia, per his agreement with the Stavka. Sure, his forces weren't what they promised, but they had performed steerling service, and without them, who knew how things may have gone? As for the Princess, he'd quietly secreted her into the city, along with her Captain and some of her guards. They were currently residing in a hospital in the Lower Ring. "These poor wretches," said Boskovsky as he looked upon the crowds lining either side of the street as they looked upon him and his men with the eyes of stunned souls, still recovering from what he'd inflicted upon them.
"Don't worry, Efrem, I will see to it that we repair what they've lost," he whispered.
The man nodded. "We can only hope, Your Imperial Highness."
Not long after, they passed into the upper ring as Earthbenders opened the gates and allowed them entry. Ahead of them stood a wide avenue devoid of people, with a gate and curtain wall further along and the palace above and behind it. Upon riding through, he saw another further ahead, with the palace continuing to loom ever closer. Of course, he'd seen the photos, yet the magnificent structure was far more extravagant in person. The roof shone with yellow metal glistening in the sun's rays, and the red stonework adorned with the emblem of their nation stood proudly before them. On either side, a single picket line of men clad in dark green armour stood silently watching them as they passed, unmoving as the conquerors continued toward their objective, which they reached after passing through the next gate. Two protruding bastions stood on either side of the main structure, with three entry points leading into the palace. In front of them stood the men he'd met the previous morning, with Long Feng standing front and center as the Ruskian commanders and their allies approached. "Welcome," the Grand Secretariat greeted once they had dismounted. "Please, follow me."
"Come, gentlemen," Nikolai said as he nodded to the hussars and his staff, who took up position surrounding him in case of trouble. Then, without a word, the group began following him inside. As they did, the Guards' regiments moved to secure the building, with the Zlachny Guards and Life-Guard Jagers spreading out to cover any entry points. The Hussars began their patrols, and the artillery dispersed to cover any attack vectors. Of course, he hoped no one had bothered to notice that these two units, their supporting artillery and the Guard Hussars, were the only ones who reached the upper ring. After the earlier incident, his allies had left, which he allowed, as they'd fulfilled their obligations. As for the regulars, half had gone with them to the Middle Ring, while the rest were securing the city until the Stavka could send forces to replace them. Thus, only the Guards remained with him, which he figured was more than sufficient given what remained of his former enemy. Making his way inside the grand structure, Nikolai marvelled at the intricate patterns on the wall and what appeared to be green stones, which provided soft green light to the rest of the hall. "Impressive," Nikolai commented.
"Uh, thank you," Long Feng answered without stopping. Not long after, they arrived in a large banquet hall. Despite all the tables, each filled with food, it was empty, save one man dressed in fine robes with a bear-
"Bear!" Nikolai cried before recomposing himself. -With a bear by his side, previously eating away at a morsel of fish before the Grand Duke had decided to shout, thus turning the creature's attention to him. Curiously, he noted the bear wore a jacket of gold silk similar to the man it sat beside and a smaller version of the same hat.
Next to the bear sat a man in Ruskian uniform, who stood up and saluted at Nikolai. "I wish you health, Your Imperial Highness!" He shouted.
The Grand Duke stopped in his tracks and replied likewise. "I wish you health, Officer!"
"So, you are the leader of the Ruskians?" he heard someone ask, and he turned to see it was the man beside the bear.
Nikolai nodded at him as he approached the table. "That I am. You are the King?"
The man gave a stern nod. "Indeed," he stated as he glared at him. "I would say welcome, but considering what has led to our meeting, I can't say I'm looking forward to this."
"I suppose I can understand that," he said, sitting across from the young King, Long Feng (who took a seat to the King's right) and his bear, who was still looking at him as the officer quietly ate his food. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but is he your pet?"
The King appeared surprised by this. "Yes, this is Bosco," he said, gesturing to the bear.
The bear in question grunted at Nikolai as Long Feng shook his head. The Grand Duke's eyes lit up as a smile etched on his face. "Aw, hello to you too," he said before clearing his throat and recomposing himself as the rest of his commanders, including the young girl with Alexeev, sat down. "I apologize. It's just a little sentimental to me."
The King cocked a brow at this but shook his head. "I see. However-" He was interrupted by the doors opening, and the group turned to see the officers of the Life-Guards enter, yet, curiously, he noted Ivan was not among them.
"I'm sorry. Would you excuse me for a moment? There's a matter I need to attend to," he asked. The King pondered this before nodding sternly, and Nikolai stood up and approached the officers of the Zlachny Guards. "Colonel, where is my Son?"
Alexeev stopped and turned to him. "He's currently inspecting the battlements with Major Dimitriev and Lieutenant Antonov," he explained.
For whatever reason, Nikolai detected a hint of dishonesty from his subordinate, but he didn't say anything. "Very well then," he said before turning around and walking to his seat as the officer beside the Earth King stood up and moved to be with his peers.
"-You should have seen us, Aang! We were like swoosh, and the Firebenders were all: "Ahh, don't hurt us!" Sokka recited as they flew toward Ba Sing Se. "And that's how we captured two Fire Navy cruisers."
Aang shook his head and smiled. "Well, I'm glad you had a good time with your Dad."
"Yeah," he said, a sad smile on his face. Of course, he was disappointed he hadn't gotten to spend more time with him and his kin, but he was still the de facto leader of Team Avatar, and the men of his Tribe already had his father. As his mind was reminiscing, he suddenly looked up when Ba Sing Se appeared once they passed over the last mountain. Smoke rose from the breaches in the fourth and third rings of walls and inside the lower ring. "Uh, Aang, are you seeing this?"
The Avatar said nothing as he gazed at the hellscape before him. As the sun began setting, it painted the city in an eerie orange glow, and as they got closer, a putrid scent reached his nostrils, and he looked to the field leading to the fortress on the coast. Bodies were stacked and piled around numerous craters that littered the ground. Yet more horrifyingly, he noted almost all of them were Earth Kingdom soldiers, identifiable due to their distinctive colour, at least for those that weren't in a bloody pulp. Never could he have imagined so much death. It made his stomach turn. Quickly, he shook his head, trying not to think about it lest he vomit, and turned to Sokka, bent over the edge of Appa's back to see. Thinking quickly, he concealed Appa in a cloud but left gaps so they could see. "We should get back to the house and see if Katara is there."
The Water Tribe boy leaned back in and covered his mouth, his face looking green. "Yeah, before I lose my lunch!" Sokka said with a gulp.
As they slowly passed over the defences and the Lower Ring, they looked down to find the streets looked like a ghost town, save specks of people walking in large groups. There were no Earth Kingdom flags within sight, only the yellow, black, and blue flag. The Middle Ring displayed more signs of life, and the Earth Kingdom emblem still waved. But when they reached the Upper Ring, that changed. Above the palace flew that same accursed flag, which seemed to be the bearer of bad news these days. "How did this happen?" Aang questioned.
"I don't know, but I think we're going to get some answers," Sokka replied as they turned toward the house.
When they neared the palace, Alexeev dismissed Sergei, Ivan, and Konstantin, whom he informed would mediate the duel to ensure no one got seriously hurt, and Mai had gone with them to watch. Right now, they stood in an enclosed courtyard surrounded by gardens, away from prying eyes. "Alright, before you two begin, might I remind you this is highly illegal?" The Major stated sternly.
Antonov nodded. "Yes, I am aware, Sir. But this must go on," he said, adorning his leather gloves as Ivan dithered.
"Look, we don't have to do this," the Grand Duke retorted with a remorseful expression. "Lieutenant, I know I offended you, and I am sorry, but must we fight? We just conquered a grand city, and you wish to spill my blood over a poorly chosen comment?"
In response, the man smirked. "Yes, that's why we're here," he said before drawing his sword. "Now, en-garde!" Ivan nodded sadly before dawning his gloves and drawing his sword, and the two men exchanged a salute with their weapons before both adopted standard guard positions and slowly inched into range.
Katara sat on the couch beside Toph, and Iroh and Zuko were across from them. They had reached the house an hour earlier and prepared dinner for themselves when a Dai Li agent popped by to inform them the enemy was inside the palace celebrating their victory. At first, they were horrified, but then he told them it was a ruse to get the Ruskian leadership to come to them so they could defeat them. When they questioned how they could accomplish what the Earth Army had failed to do, the group paused when they heard a knock on the door. "I'll get it," Katara informed. When she opened the door, she was shocked when she saw Aang and Sokka and heard Appa groaning behind them. "Oh, hey-" she began, only to be interrupted.
"-What happened? How did they-" Sokka began as he peaked inside and spotted the Dai Li agent, followed by Toph, Iroh and- "-And what is he doing here!" He shouted as he pointed at Zuko.
Katara blocked him. "He and Iroh helped me," she explained.
Sokka folded his arms and gave her a stern look. "And how do we-"
"My apologies," the agent stated, and Sokka turned to the scarred man as he faced Aang. "But what matters now is that you're here, Avatar," he began. "Tell me, did you master the Avatar State?"
Suddenly, all eyes turned to Aang, and he took a deep breath. "Yes, I have," he answered, recalling Pathik's wisdom. He'd told him to leave his connections and embrace the cosmic power within, and now that he'd learned to do that through the Guru's teachings, there was no doubt. Sure, his ultimate foe was the Firelord, but considering that these men, whoever they were, were fighting on the Fire Nation's behalf, they, too, needed to be stopped. With one final breath, Aang narrowed his eyes. "What do we need to do?"
As Ivan and Antonov squared off, Mai watched the two intently, curious about who would be the victor. Yet, even as the first clash rang out, she couldn't stop thinking of Zuko. Even after all this time, she still felt something for her childhood crush. But what about Antonov? Sure, he could never be Zuko, but was it fair to deny their potential relationship simply because she carried a vain hope that he could one day be her's again? As another clash rang out, she returned to the duelists, finding the two standing at the edge of their range, testing each other's reactions. Shaking her head, Mai put aside her thoughts of Zuko, deciding to live in the moment. Besides, she'd promised to watch Sergei fight, so she did just that.
Suddenly, Ivan lunged forward as he crouched to gain more distance. Antonov quickly deflected the blow before counting, only for Ivan to back off. Despite his vigour, she could already tell the Grand Duke had less experience, as his movements appeared rigid and clumsy compared with his opponent's more graceful style. Sergei continued pushing, never letting up, forcing Ivan onto the defensive. However, just when it seemed he'd overwhelmed the Grand Duke, he fought back with faints and thrusts. However, as the minutes dragged on, the hours marching started to catch up with them, as both began slowing down. But, as it turned out, "Agh!" -Sergei was indeed the better duelist as Ivan nursed his right leg. It was a minor poke at best, considering the tiny amount of blood slowly spreading on the Grand Duke's white pants, but it was enough.
"I declare Lieutenant Sergei Ivanovich the winner!" Dimitriev proclaimed before running to Ivan and putting a bandage around his leg.
As the Major tended him, Ivan turned to Antonov, already wiping away the blood on his sword with a handkerchief. "So, Lieutenant, ah, what are your conditions?"
Smiling, the man shook his head. "There are none, Grand Duke. You fought well," he said, much to his superior's confusion. "The duel was compensation enough."
Ivan grunted a final time as Dimitriev tightened the bandage. "Well, I'm glad to hear it," he said before turning and slowly walking toward the palace's rear entrance despite the slight pain.
Sargeant Major Osipov stood atop the stairs leading into the palace from the South side, along with three dozen enlisted while more marched down the steps in column to join the cavalry below. The senior officers were with the Grand Duke, while the junior officers and NCOs were left to keep watch. At the moment, there wasn't anything note-worthy, though he'd seen a strange cloud practically fall out of the sky minutes ago. But, aside from that, it felt like any other stint of guard duty he'd experienced before. Suddenly, the cloud reappeared and began slowly approaching the palace. "Hey guys, are you seeing this?" He asked, turning to his comrades. The others nodded, but they all remained where they were, standing at order arms with the butts of their rifles resting on the ground while they held them tightly at their right sides. For the next few minutes, the soldiers watched with rapt attention as it grew closer and closer. Yet, despite the strangeness, not one thought to raise the alarm, nor did anyone raise their rifle. Instead, they watched and waited. However, as it continued its course, Pavel noticed something strange. Despite the wind blowing to the East, it continued in its path Northward. At that moment, the man raised his rifle and aimed near the cloud, and before anyone could ask what he was doing, he fired a shot.
Zuko had to admit, it felt strange to be sitting here, alongside his long-time enemies, atop the creature that almost always prevented him from capturing the Avatar. Yet, much as what happened when they faced off against Azula or the time he broke Aang out of a Fire Nation stronghold to prevent Admiral Zhao from calming the victory he had so desperately wanted, they were on the same side. "Okay, so once we land, we need to secure the Earth King and find the guy- uh, what was his name again?" Sokka asked.
"Nikolai," Zuko responded, recalling his uncle's conversation with him the previous day after he'd met the man in charge of this operation.
"Yeah, Nikolai. From there, we should hopefully get them to surrender," he continued as a bang rang out, and a projectile harmlessly flew past them, causing Appa to grunt in panic. "Damn, our cover's blown!" Sokka shouted as Aang and Katara rid themselves of the cloud.
"Yip, yip!" Aang shouted as the bison picked up speed, hoping to reach the palace steps before they could react. With what Toph, Katara, Iroh, and Zuko explained, they had to aim their weapons, like a bow, only far more precise, and then shoot. If they hit you, it wasn't pleasant, and he still bore the scars as a reminder. So, instead of giving them a clear shot, he had Appa weave and maneuver to avoid further projectiles. Not long after, more shots rang out from the steps, but thanks to the speed Appa had gained, they couldn't track their shots accurately.
Despite their foe's best efforts, Team Avatar leapt off Appa as the bison zoomed over the balcony. Once the group landed, they moved quickly, leaving no time for their enemy to react. Toph created a tidal wave of earth upon touching down, knocking them off balance, as Aang flew in on his glider and threw at least a dozen off the ledge to their right with an airblast. Zuko landed and began pelting those who remained with fireballs while Katara used the water from her waterskin as a whip to pto aid him.
"Отступать!" (Fall Back!) one shouted, and their enemy began to flee toward the palace, only for one to receive a boomerang to the back of his head once Sokka recovered, and another was thrown off the ledge by a precise water whip. Those that remained quickly darted toward the entrance, some forgetting their primary weapons in the chaos.
"Oh no, you don't!" Toph bellowed as she stepped forward and began lifting a large chunk upon which many stood. Terrified, the men clung to the stone.
"Я не хочу умирать!" (I don't want to die!) One cried.
"Мама!" Another shouted.
"Господи помилуй," (Lord have mercy) another man whispered as inaudible shouts echoed from the bottom of the stairs, followed by the sound of drums beating.
"Toph, what are you doing!?" Aang shouted as he turned to her.
"What does it look like I'm doing!?" She retorted while still holding the rock.
"But, those people-"
Toph shook her head and laughed. "Oh, don't put your morality on me, twinkle-toes! If you want, maybe look at what you did, huh?"
Aang cocked a brow at her. He'd merely tossed them off the ledge, which he'd done to many of his foes, yet they'd always seemed fine. But, with morbid curiosity, the Avatar peaked over the edge of the stairs to find the men he'd thrown off lying flat on the ground, some surrounded by pools of blood, and one with a shattered pair of specticles lying by his side. "N-No," he muttered as he jumped back, his face a mix of shock and horror.
"They're dead, aren't they?" she asked, still holding the rock with the soldiers on it.
Zuko seemed puzzled by this. "Why is this a big deal? We need to be going," he said, pointing to some of the cavalry patrols below the palace riding toward the steps and the hundred or so infantry trying to make their way back up.
Upon seeing Aang's horror, Katara ran and touched his shoulder. "Aang, are you alright-"
"I'm sorry, Sis, but Zuko's right, we need to be going. If we're too slow, they might escape," Sokka interrupted as Toph casually threw the rock adorned with Ruskian soldiers toward the oncoming infantry before bending the stairs flat to ensure no one could follow from that side. "Besides, we saw what they did on their way in and what they did to you."
With a final ping of regret, Aang shook his head as a tear dropped from his cheek. He had failed to uphold the value of life as taught by his culture and Gyatso, but with the world's fate on his shoulders, he would have to put aside such thoughts, at least for now. So, with a heavy breath, he steeled himself. "Fine, let's go," he said before leading the others as they rushed into the palace. From above, trumpets blew and shoots and more soldiers could be heard running toward them from further inside.
Everyone in the banquet hall heard the commotion from inside the banquet hall, followed by soldiers informing him the wanted persons had returned to attack the palace. As soon as this happened, the King fled, and Long Feng disappeared without a trace, leaving the Grand Duke and his commanders to fend for themselves as the senior officers rushed to reunite with their units. At the same time, both the Alexeev brothers and some soldiers of the Life-Guards vowed to aid in barricading the room. "Uh, Vassili, I'm scared," Tiya told her caretaker as he hefted a table and, with the help of a few others, pushed it against one of the doors leading toward the Southern entrance.
General Alexeev grunted with exsertion once he finished pushing it into place. "Don't worry. No harm will come to you," he said as he tried to think of something she could do to help or a way to keep her safe. Suddenly, he recalled his brother's words from earlier and knelt beside her. "You remember Grand Duke Ivan, don't you?" Pausing for a moment, the girl shook her head. "Remember? He was the one you met during your encounter with Azula. The one who helped you get up."
When he mentioned the girl's name, a shiver went down her spine, though she quickly stowed her feelings, trying to recall the young man who was a stark contrast to the Princess's intimidating presence. When she got a vague idea of who he was, she nodded. "Uh, yes, I think I do," she replied, trying to put aside her fears. She may not have known who was trying to attack the palace, but she didn't care, as the only man who'd shown her kindness was in danger, and she wouldn't let that stop her from helping.
"Good," Vassili replied, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Tiya, I need a big favour from you," he began as she nodded. "I need you to ask my brother where he is, and then I need you to find the Grand Duke and tell him and the others to come as soon as possible, alright? My brother looks like me, only a little stricter, so it shouldn't be that-"
"And what were you saying about me?" General Alexeev heard the distinctive voice of his brother, and he stood up to face him.
"Good, just the man I wanted to see," he sighed. "Avgust, where is the Grand Duke?"
His brother appeared puzzled for a moment, but he saw through it. "You mean Nikolai?"
"No, babayaga. Who else would I be speaking about!?" The General bellowed. "Ivan, where is Ivan!?"
Avgustin seemed taken aback as Tiya leaned away and covered her ears, irritated by his chosen volume and tone, not to mention she didn't understand a word he'd said. "He-he should be in the back gardens near where we came in. He's probably on his way."
Vassili glared at him before turning to the girl, "Tiya, are you okay?"
Slowly, she removed her hands from her ears and nodded. "Uh, yeah. But, you scared me. You sounded loud and angry," she explained.
He nodded apologetically. "I'm sorry, Tiya. I didn't mean to scare you. But I need you to find Ivan. He should be somewhere near the back gardens of the palace or on the main road," he began. "Normally, I would get one of my men to do this, but we don't know what we're up against, and neither I nor my brother can leave. I know it's dangerous, but please?"
She only needed a moment before she nodded. "I'll do it," she said before embracing Vassili. "Please, be safe."
"I can say the same for you, my dear," he replied, a tear forming in his eye as he kissed her forehead and patted her back before letting her go. Then, without a word, he stood up, snapped to attention, and saluted. "Now go, my little soldier."
Now, she wasn't expecting this, and he'd never called her that before, yet she couldn't bring herself to do anything less than what she'd seen countless Ruskian soldiers do and salute him back before turning and running off to find the younger Grand Duke. As her form departed, his brother pivoted to him. "Why did you do that?"
Vassili shook his head. "I-I don't know. But for some reason, I think this is for the best," he replied with a sniffle before steeling himself and returning to the current situation.
Okay guys, here it is. I know I said last chapter would be 2nd last, but with how long this is going to be, I decided to split the ending into two parts, since the next part is going to have all the big stuff, and I didn't want to cheap out on you guys. I am grateful for every single one of you who've supported this story, and it is thanks to you that I've gained the confidence I have in writing. So, for now, God Bless you all, and may you have a wonderful week.