Unfortunately, my Firebending lessons with Prince Lu Ten had to be postponed. We had approached dangerously close to the walls of Ba Sing Se. They were only about ten kilometers away. Our tent camp was probably visible from the walls even without any special equipment. It was good that our group was out of range of ballistae and catapults at that distance. Now, all free time was spent building the staging area for the main army and, of course, ensuring security.
We were helped by other squads that had traveled different routes to Ba Sing Se and joined Prince Lu Ten at the end of their journey. Some of them had been heavily battered by the Earth Kingdom people. One group was entirely missing. Their fate was clear to everyone.
The soldiers of Ba Sing Se had likely known for a long time about the advance detachment of Firebenders under their city's walls, who were so audaciously beginning to construct a tent camp immediately after their arrival, but they weren't in a hurry to act yet. They were waiting. Perhaps they hoped that with such a small force, we would attack their walls. Playing defense is always easier than attacking.
Generally, the Earth Kingdom army favored this method of combat. They were good precisely at defense and unexpected counter-strikes. Their offense was somewhat lacking. But no one in our ranks was letting down their guard. The enemy was very close. Therefore, a full third of the squad guarded the rest of the group, who were building the tent camp for General Iroh's main army.
A noteworthy fact was that Prince Lu Ten, rolling up the sleeves of his uniform, also worked alongside the others during the camp construction. Even not all of the advance squad commanders were doing this, considering such labor beneath their dignity. Let those of lower rank handle such work.
Perhaps this was correct. Because, to be honest, Lu Ten wasn't very good at it. A light gust of wind could collapse his tent, and stronger ones would blow it away entirely... I think the laughter of the Earth Kingdom soldiers was audible even from our location.
Three days after the arrival of the advance detachment, General Iroh's main army approached Ba Sing Se. And it looked nothing like how I remembered it on my first day. Majestic. Proud. Warlike. Just like General Iroh himself. All his softness had disappeared somewhere. The General of an active army stood before me. Reasonable, collected, a seasoned warrior.
"My father's transformation is amazing, isn't it?" Lu Ten asked with a smirk, somehow realizing I was looking at Iroh. Once again, the mask of the helmet covering my face didn't hinder him in this matter.
"Yes, the changes are substantial," I admitted.
"Father just understands that he is leading men to their deaths..." Lu Ten said with sadness in his voice, looking at the ground. "That's why he gave them one last chance to rest, forget all regulations and rules, and have fun before the terrible battle."
The army truly no longer resembled some rabble. It acted clearly and cohesively. Like a clock mechanism crafted by a master watchmaker. Iroh commanded his men very professionally, with great skill. There was no more sloppiness in the ranks of his soldiers. Even I, myself, snapped to attention when I heard the General. Iroh's commanding voice somehow affected me, which I found to be an astonishing fact. Could this be some unknown type of Bending that only the chosen possess? Or is it simply a matter of charisma?
The very next day, the first attempt to take the impregnable walls of Ba Sing Se began, initiating the siege that would ultimately last nearly two years.
"Ah-ha-ha-ha! I'm lucky again!" Lu Ten exclaimed, removing his helmet during lunch. "You saved me again, Long! Thank you!"
"Yeah... You're welcome..." I replied with a slightly bewildered look, wincing a little from pain. My shoulder, which had nearly been pierced by a sharp boulder, ached. The armor protected me from more serious injuries.
Generally, the Earthbenders' element isn't always very solid. A projectile flying at you can be shattered with a good punch. I initially didn't believe the instructors' claim. But today, I saw it with my own eyes. Still, I wasn't quick to look down on the Earthbenders. A comrade deflected one projectile today, but the second one, launched by the same Earthbender, twisted his arm into a position not intended by nature.
All of this took place on the walls of Ba Sing Se. Yes, we managed to scale them in the very first engagement. The Fire Army attacked before dawn, as per Iroh's plan. All of yesterday was spent sleeping, so the soldiers were ready for a very early wake-up call, which could not be said for the Earth Kingdom Benders and ordinary warriors. They were caught off guard.
Moreover, Iroh didn't just rush the walls of Ba Sing Se for no reason. A trick was used: several tons of water were evaporated using fire to create a fog. A special mechanism, resembling a very large fan, also driven by Firebenders, blew the resulting curtain toward the walls of Ba Sing Se.
The city's defenders didn't have time to understand what was happening or raise the alarm as we began climbing to their positions using huge, pre-prepared ladders. They even managed to miss the first squads that climbed the walls. However, after several killed Earth Kingdom soldiers, the defenders of the walls remembered what they were supposed to be doing and why they were paid. A terrible battle ensued, which neither side seemed to have fully anticipated.
General Iroh assumed the attack would be successful due to the element of surprise, but the Earth Kingdom soldiers managed to surprise him with their incredible composure. They didn't panic. They accepted the fight. They waited for reinforcements and were able to completely push us off the walls. Some of the Fire Nation representatives fell directly from them and were killed on impact.
The stone spike that was meant for Lu Ten also managed to knock me off the wall. Falling, I already thought I would become just another bloody stain and prepared for the next reincarnation, but Lu Ten embraced me from behind and started yelling directly into my ear to shoot fire from all my limbs. He started doing the same from his feet.
The landing, though unpleasant, didn't leave us with even bruises. All the speed was extinguished by the flame that burst from our bodies under powerful pressure. Lu Ten wouldn't have felt even slight pain if he hadn't wanted to help save me. I realized this after some time when he showed me how he could literally glide slowly and smoothly to the ground on jets of flame, jumping from a height.
"I am also very grateful to you, Prince Lu Ten..." I said with a still-lost look. I hadn't expected to actually survive.
"Oh, come on!" the Prince waved his hand. "You're keeping score for now, ah-ha-ha-ha!"
"Keeping score?" I raised my eyebrows, not understanding what he meant.
"Well, you've saved me more times than I've saved you, haven't you? One against... I've lost count! Anyway, you're keeping the score, so I still owe you. I still have to help you so many times to repay my debt of life, ah-ha-ha-ha..."
Lu Ten was a very strange guy, but perhaps we could still become friends...
General Iroh did not foolishly throw the men entrusted to him against the walls of Ba Sing Se a second time with hopes of success. Instead, he tried to wear down the city's defenders. First, there was an almost continuous bombardment of the walls. Of course, we received return fire. But thankfully, the Earth Kingdom soldiers' ordnance wasn't as accurate or long-ranged as our siege complexes.
Second, the army was distributed almost evenly across the sections of the walls where the gates were supposed to be. Of course, Earthbenders could quickly create a breach into Ba Sing Se elsewhere, but as I heard, doing so harms the integrity of the walls. By subjecting the structure to constant alteration, they reduce its strength. The soldiers near the gates blocked access to the city. This meant that provisions, other goods, and reinforcements wouldn't reach the city's defenders.
However, there were doubts about the success of such a blockade. Ba Sing Se is simply massive. The space between the wall that stopped us and the next one could easily be used for farming, allowing the city's residents to feel normal and well-fed. They certainly wouldn't face starvation.
Third, Iroh sent groups of soldiers to the surrounding villages, one of which, incidentally, was led by Lu Ten. The goal of these groups was to prevent the defenders of Ba Sing Se from securing necessary goods, in case they did create an opening somewhere, and also to recruit Earthbender volunteers to help take the walls. Yes, General Iroh was hiring Earth Kingdom people to conquer the Earth Kingdom itself.
Lu Ten actually let slip that Iroh already had people who could Earthbend, but he didn't say what they were doing... He remembered at the very last moment that it was classified information. Iroh was recruiting Earthbenders from the Fire Nation colonies. Lu Ten said it was very difficult for his father. No one wanted to join Iroh's army as an Earthbender. Earthbending was actually forbidden in the Fire Nation and its colonies. People thought that as soon as they revealed themselves as Benders, they would be immediately arrested.
The same thing was happening with us. Even if people weren't patriotic enough to defend their country right here and now, they were still afraid to reveal themselves as Earthbenders to us. They assumed that their lifespan after that would be very short.
Perhaps the people who thought that were right in some way. One incident occurred that managed to anger the perpetually smiling Lu Ten and Iroh: a commander of one of the groups personally burned down a small village. Rumors of this incident quickly spread around the settlements near Ba Sing Se. There was no more talk of recruiting people from the villages. No one wanted to join Iroh's service.
The people of the Earth Kingdom might have understood if a Firebender destroyed a village during a battle with an Earthbender, as that happens very often, but according to the soldiers, something just snapped in their commander's head, and he started shooting fire everywhere. The group itself was nearly hit by the Firebender. They barely managed to wrestle him to the ground and subdue him. The not-so-great authority of the Fire Nation in the eyes of the Earth Kingdom residents was completely undermined by this incident.
After this event, Lu Ten, perhaps without even intending it, taught me the most valuable lesson in Firebending, one that greatly advanced my skills, powerfully shook my ossified consciousness, and forced me to rethink a great deal:
"Long... Firebending doesn't just bring destruction, fueled by anger and pain..." Lu Ten said with sadness in his eyes, looking at the ashes left by the rogue commander. "That's a very one-sided use of our power. Fire is a small Sun inside each of us, whose warmth gives life. Flame... it can be used for growth, for development... Long, don't use your fire only for destruction."
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