Behind the Flames .:H2OVanoss:.

.:Chapter 4:.

.•......•.

"Why the hell are there Fire Nation ships here?! This doesn't make any sense!" David cursed to Jonathan as they stood high on the cliffside. "We were told they wouldn't attack us because we were further away from the markers! They had to have gotten past the first lines of defense from the Northern Water tribe just to get here!"
"David, calm down! We need to get back to the camp and warn them!" Jonathan slapped a hand on the trembling giant's shoulder. David's wide ocean eyes reflected in Jonathan's, revealing the fear and trauma they both had been bottling up for years. However, now was not the time to be afraid.
Jonathan led David back to camp, running with violent steps, knowing their very lives depended on it. For Jonathan, it had been easy to tell himself that he might be able to see Evan again when coming into contact with fire nation warriors or people, but never had he seriously considered the terrifying thought of going into war against them yet again, possibly being killed in a fiery explosion or- he shuddered- a bolt of lightning. Thankfully, he soon became aware of the other feeling hiding in his heart. Another hole drilled deep into it, wanting nothing else but to be filled with the satisfaction of revenge towards the people who tore his life away from him. Who ruined him and sent him into hiding behind the plaster on his face, and shamed with a repulsive zig zag scar.
          When they arrived, the camp was already moving around as if driven mad. They gathered their weapons and water sacs before joining the lines of defense in front of the assigned commander. The people of the village screamed in fear, throwing their personal items in carts and racing for the hills, or locking themselves inside their homes to hide.
"Come on, men! Did you not hear the patrol group?! MOVE!" A higher ranked earth kingdom soldier shouted at the stunned duo. In sync the brothers saluted and retrieved their weapons and armor in record time.
"Warriors! Get your asses into position! Water benders, into your official front lines of first defense! Non-benders, you know where to go!" An officer shouted angry orders at the men.
Jonathan snaked into a spot between the other water benders. In his hands he held a dark blue and silver helmet, designed just like all the other helmets- shaped like an arctic wolf head. Closing his eyes, he slid on the helmet and avoided knocking off his mask, listening to the many loud crunching of armored feet behind him. They were trained to take this position whenever they were needed or met with a head on collision. The benders took the front of the line, being more of the "first wave of wipeouts", delaying the inevitable for the non benders behind them.
Jonathan snapped his eyes open to the sound of the tribal horn. This particular low sounding blow was the command to remain calm and hold position. To keep your spears raised, water ready, until the general's command.
"FORWARD MARCH!" His general shouted, taking his position beside the general of the Earth kingdom soldiers. Together as one, the mixed green and blue attack groups descended the sloping pathway leading to the docks.

          The ships were much, much bigger up close. Even more so than Jonathan and David remembered. The large group of defenders stood back on the mountain side, about five bison lengths away, while the Earth general rode the rocks beneath him up to the ships, along with a few of his men. The ship in the center of the group let out a loud hisssss- before the entire front of the ship dropped forward, slamming into the ground as steam fumed into the air.
          Jon's heart began to race. This is the first time he saw another real Fire Nation ship- or even a fire bender- since the island invasion. What is going to happen? Will they actually fight? Or can they scare them off? He watched intently as a group of four fire benders emerged from the ship and into the sunlight. Their armor was improved from what he remembered, still black and red but the shoulders curved upwards like a spike. All except one of them covered their heads with dark red and grey helmets, spiking out and up on the sides of them, covering their faces with a deadly blood red skull-like design. The man who didn't wear a helmet stood at the lead, smirking as he approached the earth bender and his men.
          Nobody could hear the conversation despite it all being silent- but from the arm movements and facial expressions they gave each other, Jon believed the navy captain had invited the earth benders into his ship, and the general eagerly denied. It also seemed that the earth bender was getting rowdy, shifting his feet and swinging his arms angrily as he told the captain just what was on his mind.
Suddenly, the captain's smile changed abruptly from a smirk into a dangerous scowl. His teeth clenched together and he hissed something to the earth bender, who took a step back in retaliation. The captain then brought a fist up, clenching it and a burst of flames erupted from inside. It took no more for the commander to bend a rock beneath his feet, launching him and his men back to the awaiting army. The tribe's general stood forward and they exchanged whispered words with each other. The man's eyes saddened slightly, and he grimly called out to his warriors.
"Attention!!" His voice was loud and dark with concern. "The Fire nation has made its last claim!! Do not let them take more than what they already have! Fight back with the true fury of both Earth and Water, let the enemy flee with tails tucked and tongues ripped from their throats!!" The warriors shouted in agreement. "We have all seen the impulsive desires of the enemy, they have scarred you, slaughtered many in your family, all for their selfish, greedy desires!! Find it in your hearts to deny them of repeating these horrible crimes against others!"
Then the general turned towards the boats. "I do not plan on dying this day, or any by the Fire Nation's hand!! This town of women, children, elders, soldiers, and families, defend it as if you would your own!!" The soldiers cheered again, louder this time, raising their weapons with a fierce cry for war. Then the Earth general approached their own.
"Word of this attack has already been sent to Ba Sing Se, as well as the neighboring towns! We may have reinforcements at the earliest by the dawn of tomorrow. Let us fight with honor until we can no longer!!" He glanced at the final lights of the sunset.
The tribe leader nodded. "Until then," He raised the tribal horn into the air. "We will keep our promise to our allies, and defend the Kingdom with our lives!!"
          He received many shouts in response as he raised the horn to his lips, took in a deep breath, and blew the battle tune of the Tribes. Jonathan raised his fist to the sky, shouting with excitement and lust for war. The Fire Nation deserved to be brought down in waves and stones. To be torn apart and left for dead. All of them, except for those Jonathan decided worthy of living.
In the midst of the shouts another horn was heard. Not the sound with a more hollow, scratched tune that emitted from the Tribe's bone-carved horn, but one that sliced the air with a more contained blast of higher notes that vibrated the ground beneath them. Rhythmic marching vented from inside all three of the ships, soon revealing a vast amount of the Fire Lord's soldiers lining in route to the rocky shores. They wore the same dangerous helmets as the ones previous, hiding their identities and giving them a clone-like appearance. The moment the first lines set foot onto the stones, they brought up their spears and fists, crying out their loyalty to their lord by saying, "All hail Fire Lord Sozin!" And mobbing towards their enemy.
         Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Jonathan's heart sang with adrenaline as his world twisted slowly past him. His fellow soldiers sprung to life as an angry horde, caterwauling in unison like a pack of howling wolves. The men of the Earth Kingdom entwined their own victorious shouts with the song of the foreigners as the allied kingdoms raced forth to win.
The clanging of armored footsteps, sloshing water bent from their sacks, the grumbling and groaning of earth beneath the feet, crackling embers with a swirl of golden light into black shadows, shouts to the spirits for strength, and the agonizing screeches of metal-meeting-metal were the many instruments used to play the devil's song. The two sides collided in a mangled explosion of raw power. Jon's hands danced in smooth motions, dragging his fluid weapon forward to collide with the bright energy thrusted into his face.
          Through his mask, his eyes raced to study his surroundings. Two water benders nearby, four warriors facing off six enemy soldiers a ways behind him, and at least twelve approaching fire benders.
          He smirked venomously. 'Come at me, you face-stealing bastards!!'
          The first Fire bender charged, leaping off a stone to get a high angled attack. He brought his arms into a criss-cross over his chest, whipping his arms down and forging a massive flaming 'X', sending it racing in Jonathan's direction. He steadily leapt forward and bent backwards, feeling his knees scrape against the rocks as his back arched towards the floor. The flames blew right above him.
          The moment the heat left his face, Jonathan sucked the water back out of his containers, freezing it to his fingertips, and mercilessly impaled soldier while he was still in the air. It was an instant, bloody kill; his first ever, as a matter of fact. Yet he felt no sympathy for this man.
          The other eleven fire benders were not at all shaken by what they had witnessed. Instead, they advanced as a team and forced Jonathan to pull back. Blast after blast was fired kept the lone wolf at bay. He continued bringing his water to his arms and chest, deflecting the attacks and showering all of them with boiling water and hot steam. Eventually, he realized of the unfair advantage between a water bender and a fire bender. Fire benders receive their power from sunlight, and can even bend in the nighttime. They did not need a specific source of fire in order to bend it. Water benders, unfortunately, did not possess the ability to bring water out of the air, or from a far distance. They needed water on them or near them constantly.
          Of course, this was where the flaw in his tactic occurred. The more attacks he blocked, the greater loss of water. Soon he was fighting with a sliver that was barely big enough to fill a teapot. He had to come up with a plan, and fast. He was quite a ways away from the ocean shore, but if he could find a way over there..!
          "JONATHAN!" He heard his name called above the chaos. Just as the last of his water ran out, a large wave sea swept the fire benders away. On top of the wave was non other than his clumsy, toothpick brother. He smiled with enthusiastic pride, Jonathan smirking and rolling his eyes in response.
         "Show off!" He took the chance to leap onto the wave, separating some of the water from David and taking his own route above the battle. He bended the water back and forth, avoiding his own soldiers and drowning the enemies without remorse. He noticed that multiple other water benders did the same after reaching the sea to resupply, and use the vast amounts of salt water to their advantage.