The jade masters moved as one, attacking all their enemies at the same time. Their eyes glowed faintly green under the comet's fiery light, each strike stripped of mercy, each motion stripped of hesitation.
Iroh faced his brother. Ozai moved like a storm, fire bursting from his fists in roaring waves, his jade-bound body moving with the same vigor he had in his normal state. Even if Iroh didn't see eye to eye with his brother, Iroh's heart twisted at the sight nonetheless.
"Brother…" he muttered, before bracing himself and answering fire with fire. Their attacks clashed, comet-fueled flames devouring the air. The sheer power of the two forced everyone away from them.
Zuko engaged Jeong Jeong, Zuko heard about Jeong's disciplined style from his uncle and now Zuko could tell that it is still present even in Jeong's hollow state. Jeong's flames curved and flowed like a river, pushing Zuko back.
"I won't lose to you, I was taught by a greater fire bender than you!," Zuko growled, ducking under a strike.
Katara stood opposite Pakku, and her heart ached. His ice attack came merciless, walls and spears rising from the ground. She answered with water drawn from every source around them, her voice breaking as she said, "Please Master Pakku, wake up!" She split a column of ice with a whip of water.
Toph cracked her knuckles as Bumi charged her, the ground trembling with every step he took. The old king bent stone with terrifying force, ripping entire slabs of earth and hurling them like children's toys. Toph smirked, confident in her abilities. "I am the greatest earth bender in the world, you being a mindless doll or senile crazy old man won't make a difference" She stomped the ground, pillars shooting upward, colliding with Bumi's boulders in deafening bursts.
Aang spun his staff, air whipping around him as jade warriors pressed in. Sokka and Earth soldiers joined, trying to turn the tide. Aang's eyes darted between the duels, his allies clashing with their own teachers, family and friends. [This is horrible…]
The jade warriors attacked relentlessly, their bending was as if they were alive.
"Behind you!" Sokka yelled, blocking a jade soldier with a desperate strike of his spear, the impact sent Sokka flying.
"Sokka!!" Aang twirled his staff, air bursting outward to push back three more.
"We have to end this fast!" he shouted.
At that moment, Iroh was driven to one knee by Ozai's relentless assault. Fire licked his arms and singed his robes. Still, Iroh rose, eyes blazing. "You may not have been a kind soul, brother, but I won't allow you to be used like this!" His fire roared outward, a dragon's breath that pushed Ozai back.
Zuko stumbled, his arms burned from Jeong Jeong's strikes. But instead of falling, Zuko performed a rotation from the group sending waves of fire at Jeong Jeong, causing the old man to jump back.
Katara's voice grew hoarse as she clashed with Pakku. "You told me you found gran gran to start a new life with her, that you will go back to her once this is over. Please remember who you are!"
Toph's clash with Bumi was the second most destructive after Iroh and Ozai, it was as if it shook the city itself. The ground split and buckled, buildings collapsing as the two greatest earthbenders alive hurled the world at each other. "You're tough, old man, I will give you that" Toph gritted out, sweat running down her brow, "but I'm tougher!" She slammed her foot, creating a canyon between them.
Still, the jade masters kept fighting tirelessly, and kept pressing fearlessly.
But the battleground froze when a low rumble shook the earth. Every combatant turned as the wall of Ba Sing Se lit up with jagged blue cracks. The glowing lines spread like veins across the massive stone, and then with a deafening roar, the wall erupted outward.
Stone shattered, flames tore through the air, and an entire side of the city's outer defense crumbled into ruin. Dust and smoke poured into the sky, blocking everything from view.
The defenders' eyes widened in terror as they saw parts of the fallen wall glowing red, molten under the unimaginable heat
"No…" one soldier whispered, voice trembling.
Before anyone could even move, shadows blotted the smoke above. Dozens of massive fireballs came raining down from the sky, meteors of flame hurled from Fire Nation siege weapons and benders alike. They smashed into the streets beyond, exploding in violent waves that devoured whole blocks of the city.
Aang spread his arms wide and spun his staff, a powerful gust of air blasting the dust and smoke away. His heart sank at the sight revealed. Fire Nation catapults had already rolled up to the ruined wall. Airships loomed overhead, blotting the sky. And at the front of the advancing army, walking with unshakable calm, was Tai Lung.
The Avatar's stomach twisted. They were already struggling against the jade masters. Now the wall was gone, the Fire Nation army, unstoppable even on a normal day, was marching with the comet blazing above them. And worse than all of that… Tai Lung had come.
Aang's fingers twitched near his staff. [Should I go into the Avatar State now?] The thought pounded in his mind. But the truth gnawed at him, he wasn't ready. He still hadn't fully mastered firebending. The comet empowered Tai Lung beyond imagination. [Can I even win…?]
Tai Lung smiled as he approached, his voice carrying easily across the battlefield.
"I gave you a chance to surrender. But you chose war. Tell me, what did you hope to achieve with the comet in the sky? Even without me, Azula and the rest of the army could have toppled this city."
General How stepped forward, his face pale but resolute. "We will defend our homes until the very end!"
Tai Lung's eyes narrowed. "You could have avoided all of this had you surrendered and freed my father. We would have not needed to attack the city and cause so much destruction. You can do it now of course and no further harm will touch the city" his smile grew colder, "or we can continue and burn it all to ash if you wish."
General How's jaw tightened. "As if we would believe your words."
Tai Lung chuckled, gesturing toward the shattered wall. "I just destroyed your great pride, your outer wall. What do you think will happen if I unleash that same fire on your homes? On your families?"
The general's face went pale.
"I am a kind man," Tai Lung added mockingly. "So I will give you ten seconds to decide. Surrender, or watch your world burn."
Aang stepped forward, fists clenched. "We will never trust you! You killed and turned the White Lotus into slaves!"
Tai Lung's gaze locked on him. "So, the Avatar wishes to fight me? If you think the only way you stop this army is by defeating me, then you are right. But do you really think you can win?"
Aang said nothing, but the look in his eyes spoke for him.
Sokka suddenly barked out, "If you've got guts, then face Aang one-on-one, after the comet passes! Let's see how great you are then!"
The silence that followed was heavy. Tai Lung tilted his head, amusement flickering across his face. "I'm fine with that. But the Earth Kingdom must surrender. They will lay down their arms. Their leaders will be taken as prisoners of war."
His voice rang across the ruined field. "The Avatar will face me to the death after the comet. If I fall, the Fire Nation leaves Ba Sing Se. If the Avatar dies, well, you've already lost everything."
A long silence stretched until General How finally spoke, his voice breaking. "If you keep your words… we surrender."
Gasps and murmurs erupted among the defenders. Even Aang spun toward him in shock.
General How turned to the young Avatar, his face grim. "There is no hope of victory now, not under the comet. But if you win, Avatar, there will still be hope to restore balance to the world. I have already discussed this possibility with the king" He raised his voice, addressing the soldiers behind him. "All soldiers, lower your weapons! Let it be known, the Earth Kingdom surrenders."
Weapons clattered to the ground, one by one. The sound echoed in the silence of defeat.
Tai Lung said "I must say, this great invasion was anticlimactic"
Tai Lung's gaze shifted back to Aang. "Feel free to stay or leave, it doesn't matter. When you are ready, seek me out." His eyes then turned, sharp as blades, toward Iroh and Zuko. "As for you two… you have much explaining to do. Especially about where you fit in the kidnapping of my father."
Iroh stared silently at Tai Lung then sighed while Zuko 's eyes moved behind Tai Lung where Mai was staring daggers at him and Azula frowning.