ATLA, In A Darker World

Chapter 27 Haican

Southern Earth Kingdom .....

Few hours to sunset .....

“The spirits must be favoring you then. Running into disguised enemy forces are quite common around here, alongside thieves, murderers, and mercenaries”.

It was three days ago, when he met the Earth Kingdom captain and he was told those exact words. Now three days Later, Luca couldn't say otherwise even if he was paid.

“Intrude.....”.

- Spirit Chi: -5 -

— Strength 10(14), Dexterity 9(15)

Shiing!

Luca rushed forward with his body enhanced to varying degrees.

Squelch!

The sound of flesh being cut through resounded in the otherwise quiet forest. The Fire Nation soldier had his body stiffen, his wide eyes widening even further as the world around him seemed to be in constant motion.

Time seemed to slow down infinitely as his brain went into overload and blanked out at the same time. In that one moment, his life history flashed before his eyes.

His life growing up in the Fire Nation Colonies, his stern and unsmiling father who was a captain officer in the army. His calm and collected mother, who displayed all the good qualities of a housewife.

His life throughout military school, making friends, graduating, getting assigned to the battlefield, his first kill, working his way up the ranks, narrowly escaping death on four occasions, his father's retirement, his mother's death, the death of his best friend, death of his school peers in other divisions …. He wasn't master Fire bender. He wasn't skilled in any area.

He wasn't the son, friend, father, or neighbor of any shown character in the series.

He wasn't even worth being remembered.

After many years, he wasn't even a lieutenant.

He was just a random fire nation mook with a semi tragic life story. One of the vast majority born within the hundred-year war.

War never sided with anyone and took from everyone. Both the aggressors and the defenders. He had taken a good number of lives, gained a considerable amount of money, looted many villages and lost a good lot in life. Now today, he lost the last thing he could ever lose.

'Goodbye father...... I'm coming, mom ….'.

Thud! The world returned to normal as his spinning head fell to the floor, blood flowing out from the neck area.

His eyes were open and the sight before him was the dry, black dirt, but he couldn't see it.

What followed after his death was eternal peaceful silence ....... But unfortunately for some, that silence was only for him.

“Idiot!”

As before his untimely demise, he had screamed at the top of his lungs in an attempt to inform his allies of the appearance of an intruder.

This was his job as a lookout. Unfortunately, he never realized that he would lose his life for it when he did.

In the small fire nation camp within the earth kingdom forest, everything immediately descended into chaos.

“Enemy Attack”. Before his eyes, more than a dozen soldiers rushed towards his direction.

Some barehanded and others with spears and swords.

The leading three all took their stances and thrust their arms forward.

Swoosh!

The fireballs shot in his direction quickly as Luca raised his blade in a defending posture.