98 A.G
Lin walked through the camp in silence while the heat from the ruins of Shen Guan still lingered in the air. The scent of burning flesh and charred wood was carried by the wind in slow waves that settled over the soldiers who moved through the now-quiet camp with unease.
What had once been a fortress town now stood as a blackened scar on the land behind them, from which only smoke remained, rising from collapsed stone and melted structures while the ground itself retained the warmth of the fires that had consumed everything within the walls.
The men were clearly affected by her decisions in the last battle. She could see it in the way they avoided looking at her as she passed between rows of tents. Their movements became stiff, their voices lowered, and although they were still disciplined enough to salute, their unease was clear.
Lin was used to waging war this way. She was used to her army dropping thousands of bombs indiscriminately, artillery decimating the landscape left and right, yet it seemed her actions unsettled most of her soldiers.
Only the Red Company remained unchanged. Her soldiers continued their duties with the same passion and efficiency as always. There were no stares or whispered conversations, and their focus unwavering as they prepared equipment and cleaned the camp.
Either they had learned not to question her orders, or search her face for answers they would never receive. But that didn't mean they were immune to the rest of the men around them.
Lin had expected resistance to the decision she had made, though not to this extent. The war had begun with the annihilation of an entire people. The Air Nomads had been erased in a short campaign, a complete genocide of another culture.
She had assumed that would have shaped the strategy her nation followed, yet even after nearly a century of conflict, the culture of honor in battle remained deeply rooted within the Fire Nation's military. Soldiers still believed in victory earned through fair combat, in enemies defeated through skill, honor and strength.
It was quite strange that a nation was able to erase another, yet most of its military did not fit within that belief. Erasing a fortress the same way had clearly lowered morale throughout her camp, she could only imagine the soldiers that returned after the annihilation of the air nomads.
Lin's gaze moved across the camp as she continued walking, her expression unchanged while her thoughts shifted toward the next phase of the campaign. Reports had already confirmed that the Fourth Army was landing on the western coast and they would march toward their position as soon as possible.
Once they joined forces, the siege of Omashu would begin in earnest, but there was still time to prepare for their arrival before then. Lin didn't want to give the enemy the time to replenish their stocks for a siege.
Sending forward the most rested battalions to secure the outer approaches to Omashu would allow her to test the city's defenses before committing the full army to a prolonged siege. A controlled advance could provoke a reaction from the defenders, forcing them to reveal the strength and composition of their forces while also allowing her to identify potential weak points in their walls.
It would also prevent any attempt to break the siege from the outside. Omashu's position within the mountains made it defensible even with a reduced garrison, and it remained possible that they had reserves positioned beyond the city that could strike at the rear of her forces once the siege began. Allowing her forces to be caught between the city and a hidden force would create unnecessary risk.
Her steps slowed slightly as she adjusted the plan within her mind, remembering the terrain they had mapped earlier, the supply lines, and the movement of her battalions. She was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of commotion.
As she turned toward the sudden voices rising, she saw several soldiers also moving in that direction in curiosity. Lin moved quickly through the tents, her pace quickened in urgency as the sound drew her toward a clearing between the command sections of the camp.
As she made her way toward the center of the commotion, she saw Azula. The princess stood at the center of the disturbance, her arms moving through the motions to generate lightning. As the air around her cracked, her fingertips illuminated with that familiar blue hue that meant whoever was on the receiving end was in for a world of pain.
Two corporals lay on the ground nearby, watching in fear. In the split second that her mind tried to come up with an explanation, she could see traces of blue fire around the corporals. Whatever happened, they had clearly angered the princess.
Lin closed the distance immediately. "Princess!" she called out to her without stopping. If Azula released the charged attack it could be fatal.
Her focus remained entirely on the motion of Azula's body. As the crack of electricity marked the separation of chi within her body, Lin reached out to stop her from releasing it. Her hand closed gently around Azula's wrist, interrupting the flow of movement before she could join both energies again.
The separation of chi that Azula had created did not dissipate cleanly, and the moment Lin's metal fingers made contact a surge of energy traveled through her arm, the current racing along the reinforced plating of her limb before driving upward into her shoulder and spine.
The sensation felt like being zapped by electrostatic force; it wasn't that unpleasant, and it was only for a fraction of a second while the energy continued its path downward through her body. She felt it travel through her core, through her legs, until it finally grounded itself into the earth beneath her feet.
Lin tightened her grip slightly while she stabilized herself. Not wanting to frighten the princess, she softened her gaze in amusement. Even then, Azula stilled, watching Lin with wide eyes. She did not release her immediately.
"Princess, would you mind explaining why the corporals here deserve your wrath?" Lin asked.
The princess finally regained her composure as she looked into her eyes.
"Oh, I don't know… but they are quite weak, aren't they?" she replied mockingly. "The army doesn't need weak soldiers."
"Well… I would argue you are just too great a prodigy instead, Princess." Lin said absentmindedly. It was clear something had greatly bothered Azula and was just playing it cool.
"Hmph!"
"Would someone escort these two men to the hospital tent, please?" Lin said, looking around at the gathered crowd. Then as a few soldiers moved to help the two corporals, she glared at them menacingly.
"I will have a word with you two when your injuries are looked over." Lin said coldly.
They quickly left with pale faces. Lin looked at Azula who already seemed uninterested in the whole thing.
"Would you like to talk in my tent, Azula?" Lin asked.
Azula stiffened but nodded slowly.
----0000----
"So… what happened?" Lin asked bluntly.
"They are insignificant and weak, they should have bowed deeper." Azula said mockingly.
Lin raised an eyebrow at the princess, expectantly.
"And I like watching the fear in their faces. I like hearing them scream in pain." Azula continued.
"You wouldn't have used lightning for something that petty, Azula. Will you please tell me?"
Lin watched as Azula frowned, then the princess's mocking smile was lost, replaced by anger and shame clearly displayed on her face.
"They called you an honorless monster." Azula whispered.
"I didn't hear that."
"They called you an honorless monster!" Azula said again, her voice showing the outrage she clearly felt.
"I see…" Lin replied. That sounded like a silly comment to get mad about.
"Why aren't you angry?" Azula asked in indignation.
She knew that Azula could be furious for different reasons. There was a possibility that the insult against Lin could be the issue. She had read a few of the reports from Azula's time in the Royal Academy, where it had been rumoured that the princess was very overprotective over her friends Ty Lee and Mai.
It could also be something personal, although logically there was little chance anyone would call the young royal a monster or honorless. It would lead to their inevitable deaths or disappearances. Lin couldn't just discard the option, though, Azula could be another reincarnated soul after all and have memories that merited that reaction, like herself.
The problem with the latter was how to approach the topic; Azula would be too proud to admit it, and if she didn't have previous memories from another life, talking about her own experience would paint her as a madwoman. When the silence became too awkward, Lin opted to try and de-escalate the severity first.
"I care little for what they say, Azula. There was a rumor not long ago that if a soldier died close to me they would be saved from going to the fog of lost souls, simply because they saw smiles and tears on the soldiers I comforted." Lin said.
"So now I'm a monster, earlier I was their salvation. Tomorrow I will be an evil spirit and the day after there will be something else said about me. It's really not that important."
"I don't think they are wrong in the first place either. I care little for honor, and everyone has a monster inside them, that doesn't mean it is a bad thing. Some lack the strength to use it to their advantage, but when monsters are necessary, those same soldiers would regret not having one on their side. It's all about embracing it to hurt your enemies and not your friends."
"I would gladly and happily have a monster by my side if it brings my nation prosperity and victory without sacrificing the lives of our people." Lin finished.
She felt quite smug about her speech. Usually her choice of words was not that great, but she felt that what had come out of her mouth was better than she had expected. But then she looked back at Azula and saw her on the verge of tears and quickly shut that thought down.
She wondered what on earth had gone wrong.
"Azula… I-"
That was when they were, miraculously, interrupted by Toph
"Hello Metalsticks, Zappygirl." Toph greeted them cheerfully. Lin smiled fondly, she could leave Azula with the small earthbender for a bit, maybe that would cheer her up and make her forget about the awkward conversation.
"Hey, Toph. Mind taking the princess out for a distraction? She is a bit stressed." Lin said.
"I'm not!" Azula snapped.
"Definitely stressed." Toph quipped. "Let's go have fun with instructor Wenxin, that usually cheers you up."
Toph jogged over and grabbed the princess' hand. "Come on!"
"Alright… but only because I have this new technique I want to try." Azula finally said.
"Please don't injure my men, you two." Lin said as they were leaving.
"No promises!" they both said in unison.
----0000----
"Did… Did Lin reject you?" Toph asked as soon as they were far away from the tent.
"W-what?! No." Azula said exasperated.
"But… you were crying!"
"I was not!" Azula answered loudly.
"You were too!"
"No."
"Yes!"
Azula looked around glaring at the soldiers that had stopped to watch their shouting. They immediately avoided her gaze and returned to their duty, then she leaned closer to Toph.
"It was… Promise you'll keep it a secret if I tell you." Azula whispered.
Toph nodded enthusiastically. "I promise, now spill."
"I was just… emotional? I never felt that way before, so I'm not too sure. But… It happened after Lin said she would be glad and happy to have me by her side."
"What?!" Toph screamed. "Oh spirits! Your first happy tears. I wish I was there to see them."
"You are blind…"
"Exactly! Don't you know what a wish is?"
"Ugh."
----0000----
The captains and lieutenants gathered inside the command tent in stoic silence, their presence filling the enclosed space with a quiet tension. Although most were already used to Lin and her meetings, there was still visible discomfort in a few of them after the events in Shen Guan.
There were also looks of fatigue in the newly promoted officers. After marching for a few days and having gone through sleeping rotations, it seemed they were not used to the schedule as much as the soldiers that she had trained extensively.
Lin remained beside the campaign table, the map of the southern territories stretched across its surface with weighted markers placed carefully around Omashu and its surrounding areas. The faint scent of smoke lingered even here, carried from the ruins behind them.
When the last officer entered and the canvas flap closed, she began the briefing without delay.
"We will move the camp forward, closer to Omashu." Lin said calmly. "I'm aware some of you are new to my command so if there are questions you are encouraged to ask away."
Several officers shifted their attention toward the table as she reached forward and adjusted one of the markers, bringing it closer to the mountain city.
"Shen Guan no longer serves as a defensive position to anyone. Our initial plans to take the fortress are now obviously gone but we gained at least a week of time in our campaign. Time we can use to press on and harass our enemy."
"The Fourth Army is about to disembark along the western coast, and we will have the battlefield ready for them."
Her hand moved across the map, tracing a loose perimeter around Omashu, outlining the surrounding terrain and the key routes that connected the city to the outer territories.
"The battalions that did not engage in the assault will advance ahead of the main force and establish positions along the outer approaches. Their task is to form a perimeter at a distance, wide enough to let them know we are there while still allowing us to disengage if we need to retreat."
The officers followed her explanation closely, their focus settling on the map as the intention of the maneuver became clear.
"This movement serves two purposes." Lin continued, adjusting another marker along a trade route. "First, it may force the defenders to react. Any movement from Omashu's forces will provide us with information on their numbers, positions, and perhaps even their tactics, before we commit to a full siege."
"Second, it will sever their external supplies and cut off support from the surrounding villages. Trade and supply lines must be disrupted immediately. No resources should reach the city once our forces are in position."
A few of the captains nodded slightly, acknowledging the plan, and voiced no objection yet. Lin straightened, her gaze moving across the gathered officers as she continued.
"Omashu's terrain allows it to be defended with fewer soldiers than most cities of comparable size. It remains possible that they have positioned additional forces outside the city, with the intention of striking our rear once we are committed to the siege."
"If we advance without securing the area first, we risk being engaged from two directions at once. This position ensures that we can identify any external force and eliminate it before it can be put to use. We will have gliders scouting ahead, we have been working on a way to add a concave glass panel below the middle seat to allow us to fly higher without losing visibility."
"Still, we won't be engaging with their main armies yet; they would outnumber us too greatly. If Omashu musters their armies to meet us, we will retreat further out, then try to retake these positions. The tank unit will be crucial to harass their forces, they have the speed to retreat while still firing. I have already replaced most of the soldiers manning them and they will train on route. Captain Zhou will lead them."
The room remained quiet, the officers absorbing the orders without interruption. Lin then shifted her attention toward Kaida.
"Lieutenant Kaida."
Kaida stepped forward immediately, her posture straight as she saluted, though the tension in her shoulders was evident.
"Yes, commander."
Lin held her gaze for a moment before speaking.
"You are promoted to Captain."
The announcement moved through the room quickly, drawing the attention of the other officers as they turned toward Kaida, some with visible surprise while others showed their approval loudly.
"You will assume command of Captain Masaru's battalion." Lin continued. "You will remain in command until Commander Mamushi returns or General Shu issues new orders."
Kaida's composure wavered slightly, clearly not expecting to be made captain yet. It was a bit amusing to Lin that she had the same reaction each time she had promoted her.
"Yes, commander." Kaida said finally, saluting.
The rest of the captains offered their congratulations, their tone respectful and genuine, and for a brief moment the atmosphere within the tent eased as the officers looked genuinely happy for the young woman.
It was moments like these that made Lin pause for a second and return to memories of her past life. She had once been that close with her compatriots, she had been young and the circumstances leading her to the front lines had resonated with most of the other soldiers as well. Sadly, having those connections also meant that losing them one by one affected her deeply.
Now, in this life, she had kept her distance. She held a deep respect for her soldiers, but she was not close to any of them. Keeping them at arm's length meant that losing them didn't hurt as much as her first time.
That didn't mean that she was careless with their lives. The soldiers under her command were her responsibility, and she ensured their survival the best way she could. That approach removed her attachment to them, but it also didn't win her any friends, and made her feel a bit lonely.
As she watched Kaida receive the acknowledgement of her peers, she understood the value that kind of bond created among them, even if she chose not to participate in it herself. Well, she did have Azula and Toph as her friends, even if it was a bit different. Under normal circumstances, they would never be in the front lines, so it was safe to be attached to them.
If the campaign continued as planned, Omashu would fall, and the southern territories would be fully secured under Fire Nation control. The officers standing before her would be regarded as heroes back home, regardless of what happened in the next campaign against Ba Sing Se.
Lin turned her attention back to the map. There was still work to be done before that outcome could be reached.
"Prepare your units with haste." she said, her voice steady as it had been from the beginning. "We move within the hour."
The officers saluted and began to file out of the tent, leaving Lin alone with her thoughts.
----0000----
King Bumi stood at the center of the war chamber while the survivors from Shen Guan finished recounting what had happened, their voices were marred by exhaustion and disbelief as they described a grim attack much like the genocide that had started this war.
The chamber remained quiet as they spoke, the gathered officers and advisors listening without interruption while the scale of the destruction became clear and brutal, even if their tales were fragmented and it was clear that their trauma exaggerated their testimony.
Only eleven earthbenders had survived the attack, four of whom had broken down and hadn't been able to speak to them yet. Shen Guan itself no longer existed if their stories were true. Its walls were now broken beyond repair, its streets buried beneath rubble and ash. Their assault had focused on nothing but removing them entirely from the face of the earth.
They described metal projectiles that exploded on impact, striking across the entire city, and at such speeds that it was practically impossible to predict where they would fall. The most unbelievable tale was that the Fire Nation had taken to the skies somehow. It sounded mad.
Yet, the ones who had spoken said the same. When their bombardment failed to finish the work, the Fire Nation unveiled yet another weapon; some kind of wooden bird that could release barrels filled with liquid fire that spread through the streets, killing the ones who had managed to hide from the bombardment.
Bumi rested his hands on the stone table, his fingers tracing lightly along the carved lines of the map that lay before him, where Shen Guan had once marked a defensive position between Omashu and the southern territories.
"We should plan this carefully, gentlemen. Taking into account their stories, how should we proceed?" he said, his tone steady as he looked toward the survivors.
One of his generals stood, and a few of his advisors already had hands in the air as well. It was a good sign that his people were not cowered by the enemy yet.
"Omashu being built on top of a mountain gives us advantages, Your Majesty. Even if they fire their weapons, most of our important buildings are too high up. We can even dig inside the mountain and the city and make shelters as fast as possible. The town and houses can be rebuilt and no one would die in such an assault."
An advisor continued where the general left off, his gaze fixed on the survivors that seemed to be lost.
"Perhaps we can dismiss the survivors first so that they can begin healing and resting properly." he said.
"As you say." replied the general. As they were ushered out, another advisor continued.
"The problem will be the weapons that can fly. We don't know how high they can go and how many there will be. If they can throw the metal balls down on us instead of barrels that would be problematic as well. We can move the command center underground but it would be difficult to keep up with the pace of a battle."
Bumi listened without interruption, each one of them had their ideas discussed. The truth was that Bumi was scared for the first time in decades. The destruction of Shen Guan rattled the King, it reminded him of the time Sozin was in charge of the war in those initial years. It was too brutal and cruel, leaving nothing behind but death.
He lifted his gaze toward the advisors gathered around the table.
"What is their current position?"
An officer stepped forward and placed a marker on the map.
"Some of the forces that attacked Shen Guan are advancing on Omashu, but we don't believe they will attack us yet, they are too few, they wouldn't stand a chance and they know it. We have a report that they have established positions around the city at a distance of approximately three kilometers, forming a perimeter that continues to expand as additional units arrive."
"Do we have information on their commander?" Bumi asked.
"From what our spies gathered, some of her own soldiers consider her an evil spirit in the form of a young girl. An unnatural being that has metal limbs and yellow-white hair. Despite this, there are records of her honoring surrender and we have found accounts where she is both merciless but mindful enough to better the lives of the civilians living in the territories they have captured. We believe there is a propaganda campaign in place to sow fear wherever she is involved."
"But you don't think she is a monster as they say?" Bumi asked.
"Well… I was sure that it was an exaggeration to lower morale in our soldiers, but now after the destruction of the fortress I'm not that certain."
"I understand, if there is a possibility to talk and gain time to evacuate everyone we may offer our surrender."
Bumi studied the map in silence, his attention moving across the terrain surrounding the city. His initial plan of emptying the city if there was an emergency wouldn't work anymore. They would have to engage their forces if they wanted to evacuate the way he wanted.
"Either way, I want to evacuate all civilians before any battle takes place. If we attempt to move them above ground, we would have to break through first." he said.
The advisors nodded. "Then we will not rely on the surface, I don't want anyone to be left inside the city."
"My King, not everyone would want to leave their lives behind."
"We will insist that they do, for them and for our soldiers as well."
Bumi straightened slightly, his decision forming as he continued to study the layout of the city. Several of the engineers and officers shifted their attention toward him as he continued.
"Begin construction of subterranean fortifications throughout Omashu. I want reinforced chambers capable of housing our soldiers for extended periods, with air circulation and we will have a few dedicated earthbenders in case they need to add more support, we don't want tunnels to collapse."
He moved one of the markers toward the edge of the map, indicating the mountain range beyond the city.
"We will also begin tunneling operations toward the Kolau Mountains to evacuate our civilians. There are existing networks within those formations, including the passages connected to the Cave of Two Lovers. If we can establish a route without detection, we can then move everyone toward Full Moon Harbor."
The general bowed in acknowledgment and sat back down. Bumi's gaze moved across the chamber. There was a lot of anxiety on their faces, but he could also see resolve in their eyes.
"Send word to every commanding officer within the city," he said. "I want them assembled here. We will review every option available to us before they begin their next phase."
Messengers moved quickly to carry out the order, their steps echoing briefly against the stone floor before the chamber settled once more into a controlled quiet.
"Well then, let's see if we can have some fun with an evil spirit."