ATLA, In A Darker World

Chapter 22 Chi Slash

Chirp! Chirp! Chirp! Chirp

Trickle, Trickle, Trickle, Trickle .....

The sounds of nature permeated the atmosphere from all around. Rushing water, chirping birds ..... The sky was dark. However, the cold nightfall wasn't befalling.

Quite the contrary, the skies looked to be brightening instead of getting darker as one looked upwards to appreciate the fall of morning dew.

Dawn.

The earth kingdom had a vast expanse of land. Many places barren and unfruitful with orange soil like the area where mining village was situated.

In others, were vast greeneries with lush forests teeming with life and vitality. Like where Senlin village was located (Before the surroundings were burned down by the fire nation, that is)

Rivers somewhere close by flowed in those areas, bringing about a beautiful sight for sore eyes.

This was one such river.

The beautiful, calming sounds of nature were rudely interrupted, however, by the sound of an engine.

On this day, as dawn approached, a small Fire Nation sea vessel could be seen sailing on the water.

Of course, it would be considered Fire Nation if the red flag with a fire symbol on the mast hadn't been taken down.

These parts of the Earth kingdom were different from the area before the Mo Ce Sea Prison rig. It couldn't be considered under complete control of the earth kingdom, nor could it be considered Fire Nation colonial territory.

Nevertheless, both nations had troops, soldiers, and spies hidden in various parts of the area.

Now wasn't the time when Omashu had been conquered. So the lands before reaching the great city was considered a hotspot.

To put it in more fitting terms, it could be considered a border of sorts containing some earth kingdom villages stretching for miles with forces from both sides lurking in different areas.

Here, the outposts of the Fire Nation were severely limited due to the fact that Earth kingdom resistance had also set up outposts in this region.

Occasional battles took place every now and then with both sides testing each other in constant warfare.

Due to this very reason, the life of the citizens situated here were miserable. Constantly finding themselves in the crossfire when the two sides went to battle.

Villages were looted and burned, with its inhabitants either being killed or left homeless in the wilderness.

Honestly, Sozin definitely knew how to start a war with the help of the glorious comet, but he certainly had no idea how to end it.

The Fire Nation had waged a century long war against the other two nations. (Airbenders not counted, those guys were wiped out long ago without much contribution to consider).

The resources needed to support such an extended conquest was by no means something it could support solely by its own efforts.

After all, The Fire Islands could only be considered small in comparison to the Earth kingdom when it comes to sheer landmass. Barely a quarter of its total size.

Robbing, looting, pillaging villages were essential in the long run to support their armies if the Fire Nation didn't want to collapse on itself before they could grasp victory.

Battling the Earth kingdom was hard enough. A pesky southern water tribe disturbing them occasionally consumed considerable amounts of resources and manpower to keep at bay.