Behind the Flames .:H2OVanoss:.

.:Chapter 24:.

The early morning light brightened the navy sky with hues of pink and lavender. A late winter breeze flowed through the pale green grass and frost tipped trees. Tens of armored ostrich horses arranged in many parallel lines whinnied and stamped their taloned feet into the muddy ground, breathing heated fog into the chilly air like smoke from a farmhouse chimney. Saddled to them were soldiers dressed in green armor, composed with eager patience, holding tight to their weapons and elements.
The long awaited screech of a returning messenger hawk echoed in the valley, soon to be spotted over the night in the west. Tyler, accompanied by Brock and Brian at the head, reached out his arm to accept the creature. It landed gracefully onto the gauntlet of his forearm, adjusting its deep crimson feathers as the earth bender took the note out of the pack on its back.
Everyone held their breaths. Underneath his forest green helmet, Tyler's eyes scanned the message with no emotion. Once he reached the bottom of the letter, he rolled the paper up and shoved it in a pack on his saddle. Then he turned to face his men, calling out inspirational encouragement with confidence.
Pregnant women, children, elderly, and those unable to fight waved to their loved ones with despair on their faces. Only because of Tyler's courageous words their eyes still flickered with hope. His men cheered and the horses became restless. Then Tyler raised his fist towards the direction of the ocean, and with a brave war cry, led away his loyal village for what could be the last time.

A few hours earlier:

"...I don't understand." Lui chuckled nervously. Arlan stood beside him, staring at nothing with foggy, emotionless eyes. It was hard to tell if he was listening or not.
          Tyler paused, looking over at the small air bender. "Go home, Lui. Arlan needs you more than anything right now. And in the state you're in, you both wouldn't be any help in battle."
          "That's not true! Plus Arlan can wait here, he doesn't have to fight!" He slammed his fist on the table between them, a shiver wracking his body. "Please don't send me home, there's still more that I can do to help!"
          "You've already fulfilled more than what you came here to do. And you are clearly still in shock from last night."
          Lui remained persistent. "That doesn't matter right now! You know as well as I do that beating that lightning bender is going to be near impossible! You'll need all the help you can get right now, there are hundreds of lives on the line! Almost your entire village could be killed!!"
          "Yes, and we don't need one more to add to the cause. Especially one that I'm only temporarily responsible for." He rubbed his temples to soothe his growing headache.
          "Tyler I can't leave yet, I still have so many things that the spirits told me to do! I can't throw it all away-"
          "You don't have to throw it away; if your monks let you come back, then you can return after the war is over." The earth bender visibly became more and more agitated.
          "That's not how it works! I don't know what the spirits told you but I know what I'm supposed to be doing! I need to fight, I won't let last night affect me!"
          "For Rava's sake you retarded airheaded fuck! I can't risk you being slow on the battlefield and getting yourself killed!!" He glared him down and vigorously motioned towards Arlan. "You're fucking boyfriend needs you the most right now because he just lost the closest fucking thing to him and you're just going to leave him behind to make your own damn self feel better!! Just go home and be there for each other, then you can come back after the damn fight, it's that fucking simple!!"
          His heart wrenched in his chest. Without saying another word, Lui spun around and raced out of the house, pulling Arlan with him. Tyler was left in his office alone, punching the table and cursing at the spirits. They were the ones always forcing him to make such difficult decisions. And in the end it was always Tyler whom his friends blamed.

          Memories of that day were playing over and over in Tyler's mind like a broken record. Tears glossed over his bluish-hazel eyes when he remembered how it all came crashing down, engulfed by lightning and fire while hearing the screams of those he loved as they got burned alive.
          He will never make the same mistake again, and he won't let anyone make the same mistake he did. He'll never ever let that selfish fire bending son of a bitch to convince him that his own pride mattered more than the lives of others.
          Because that's why he lost it all.