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Kingdom of War	By : Jayrich Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female Views: 28040 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 19
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Kingdom of War 19
Feng’s Siege...
The night was still in Ba Sing Se; the stars littered the sky with their light, framing a full moon which loomed as large as the city itself. The Royal Palace in the Earth Kingdom was a monumental work of architectural art, standing tall & wide within the Upper Ring of the Earth Kingdom’s Capital. At the center of that gigantic compound was the Main Hall, which housed amongst all the treasures, art & ancient scrolls of the Kingdom, the Earth King. The Palace grounds were notorious for being well defended, with some of the finest Terra Team members on patrol against any and all threats to the Earth Kingdom, along with the Royal Earthbending Guards, one of the most respected legions in the Four Nations. And on this night, their steel resolve was put to the test as a carriage slowly rolled up to the gate. It had the appearance of an ordinary merchant’s wagon, which was completely out of place and not allowed on royal grounds. And with the driver of the carriage being Lao Bei Fong, a man known for his wealth & standing in the Earth Kingdom, even more questions were raised.
“HALT!” One guard ordered, his voice booming in the night.
Lao didn’t attempt to make eye contact; instead he chose to remain facing forward, his eyes staring daggers through the palace doors. “I…am here to see the King…he summoned me for an emergency consultation.”
“I recognize you...Lao Bei Fong. Sorry, but the Palace is closed for the night due to high security!” The guard informed him. “Whatever business you have can dealt with in the morning. I’m sure the King will tell you the same if he were here.”
“No...No, sir please! I need to see...”
“He told you the Palace is closed!” Another guard said, stepping in. “Long Feng has been spotted in Ba Sing Se and we’re under high alert. Now move along before we remove you from the palace grounds ourselves!”
“Oh really?”
The voice came from inside the carriage, which caused the two soldiers to step into their respective Earthbending stances. They also felt a familiar tone from the voice, which was confirmed as a figure stepped out of the carriage and faced them. “Please, gentlemen...try.”
“LONG FENG!!!”
On instinct they moved to disable the threat, but Feng was quicker; using his right leg to stomp the ground, which drew up two earth pillars that launched the guards from their position. They showed great agility from their training; quickly regaining their balance and landing on their feet, ready to do battle with the Traitor of the Ba Sing Se. But they could only advance two steps before finding themselves surrounded by over a dozen Dai Li agents, who stealthily invaded the battlefield by using Feng’s distraction. The two Terra Team soldiers saw the odds in front of them, and neither one wavered. They fought hard in defense of their King, but also in a futile effort as the Dai Li struck them down quickly, stealthily and with the absence of Earthbending.
“Security has indeed degraded since my position was vacated.” Long Feng mocked as he strolled confidently passed the now unconscious defenders of the palace.
Lao remained by the cart for his protection. “So, you won’t need me anymore...right?”
“Now, now Mr. Bei Fong,” Feng replied, “Don’t undersell your usefulness so quickly. Gentlemen...”
Lau felt hands firmly grip both of his shoulders, pushing him forward as he reluctantly followed Long Feng towards the palace. They climbed the steps that led up to the main hall, with the Dai Li Leader savoring each step he ascended, feeling that it pulled him closer to his destiny. They reached the top, only to be greeted by several members of the Royal Earthbending Guard, who upon sight of Feng initiated their attack. Feng remained calm, and motioned for a retaliation, which brought forth more Dai Li agents. The siege was in full effect as Feng’s men & women fought efficiently and fiercely, making short work of their foes. Feng didn’t even bother to acknowledge their threat; much less make eye contact with them as he walked passed. As they reached the door of the Main Hall however, he stopped and turned to his captive.
“Mr. Bei Fong, if you will...”
Remembering the fate of his wife, Toph’s father did Long Feng’s will, peering in through the slightly cracked door of the Throne Room. Inside he saw dozens of decorated pillars, artwork and sculptures adorning the wall, and the Throne of Earth King Kuei, who was seated upon it at that very moment, looking over a scroll. Lao’s presence was enough to draw his eyes from the paper to the doorway. “May I help you?”
Lao tried to speak; he tried to warn him of what waited for the King & his Kingdom just outside. But his words weren’t quick enough as the doors burst open, revealing Long Feng to the leader of Ba Sing Se. “Yes you may...you can start by removing yourself from my seat.”
“No...Long Feng!”
“Actually, you may refer to me as ‘King Feng’.”
He walked into the Throne Room confidently, his hands behind his back as he surveyed his surroundings for any sign of an ambush. And while one didn’t come how he expected it, over several dozen Royal Palace Guards stormed into the room from behind the Throne, creating a thick wall of protection between the intruder and their King. “I’m afraid you won’t get that privilege, Long Feng. You may have escaped your Prison holdings, but you will discover that the Earth Kingdom has many ways of dealing with your type.”
Long Feng folded his arms over his chest in response, laughing at what stood in front of him; a long and loud maniacal cackle that echoed through the hall. “You fools have the NERVE to stand against me? ME!? The one man who commands the very force built by Avatar Kyoshi! The Leader of the Elite! The General of an Army that will decimate anything and anyone I say!”
Snapping of his fingers, he summoned his decimating force as they flooded into the room in astounding force, easily outnumbering the Royal Guards and bringing about a horrified look upon the Earth King’s face. Still, he showed bravery as he stood tall and ordered his men & women. “ATTACK!!!”
Heeding his order, the Royal Earthbending Guards stormed forward, each of them drawing forth their bending ability, ready to defend their King with their lives. The Dai Li stood in defense of their leader, motionless and unresponsive to their enemy until their leader issued his command.
“Lay waste.”
And with frightening coordination, they moved in; firing stones from their gloves and raining down rock projectiles onto the Guards as they moved in. Each warrior in the fight knew the battlefield all too well as pillars & upper-levels were used as advantages to both. And in the midst of this Brawl for the Earth Kingdom stood Lau Bei Fong, trembling and hoping to avoid any part of the physical conflict unfolding around him. The Royal Guards fought hard & valiantly to protect their Kingdom and King, but their numbers quickly began to dwindle against nearly insurmountable odds. They began dropping like flies; whether from flying kicks, disabling strikes or Earthbending Power, they were outmatched in almost every facet of the fight. It wasn’t long before the final Guard, a veteran leader of the group, was kicked into submission and unconsciousness. Before the warrior even hit the marble floor, Long Feng moved swiftly, speeding down the green carpet and up the steps to grab Kuei by his collar.
“Have you any more surprises for me, Kuei?” Feng asked mockingly.
“Actually...just one more.” Kuei answered. “BOSCO!!!”
The side doors to the room crashed down to reveal the Earth King’s pet, a large Grizzly Bear who was livid over his owner being held against his will. Charging forward, his intent was to maul Long Feng until he was unrecognizable; but Feng anticipated his presence, and with a quick hand gesture, he summoned four solid walls of rock that surrounded the creature, successfully capturing it. He then scoffed at the King, before tossing him aside.
“I never cared for that flea-bitten nuisance anyway...” He said. “Perhaps I’ll turn him into a rug.”
He smirked at the idea as he moved towards the throne, ready to take his seat and the position of power he just gained, when he spotted Lao climbing the steps, begging the forgiveness of Kuei. “My King, I apologize!” He pleaded, bowing in respect. “There was nothing I could do, he has my wife and—!”
“You do not need to apologize.” Kuei calmly told his subject.
“A common man’s opinion and one that isn’t valid or correct!” Long debated. “Apologies are in order, for he didn’t bow before me!” Lao tried to stand up in defiance, but a swift kick to the back of his knee forced him down again, against his will. “Much better. Now if you would escort the former King to his new holdings, I believe they were the same ones he attempted to place me in.”
Two Dai Li Agents each grabbed an arm of Kuei, who even with his throne and power usurped, remained defiant. “Your reign will be a short and miserable one. The Avatar will see to it, of that I am confident.”
The Dai Li dragged him away, not wanting their leader to hear anymore. His words didn’t matter to Long Feng though, as he scoffed at the idea while sitting down on his newly acquired throne. He recalled back to the last time he was seated in this position and the events that happened next which stripped him of that power, thanks to an advantageous Fire Princess. Tonight, however, she was nowhere near to stop him. “No one shall take this reign from me...no one.”
He laid back and enjoyed the sensation of his plan coming to fruition as his men & women all bowed to him, showing respect and allegiance. One of the Dai Li agents, a very large man who appeared to be twice the size of his leader, approached the base of the stairs, and bowed in respect in front of his commander. “Lord Feng, what is our next move?”

Feng remained silent for a moment, before giving his first royal decree. “Now that we’ve obtained control over the Earth Kingdom, we must ensure its security.”

“I will see to it at once, Lord Feng.”

“No, Koto!” Feng ordered. “For you, I have a very important task...”

“Yes, you are correct. I raised them myself!”
The Seedy Merchants Pier was in the past held in low regard due to its basic business practice, which essentially states ‘It doesn’t matter which Nation you are, your money’s all the same.’ Upon the Great War’s end the Pier has gained popularity with all of the 4 Nations, though it hasn’t changed the minds of those who think shady operations frequently happen there; hence the nickname ‘Seedy’ Merchants Pier. Even with the label, many merchants have set up shop here to gain their riches, including a certain Cabbage Merchant who was currently bargaining with the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors.
“We have our own crop of Cabbages on Kyoshi Island, but I haven’t had the chance to go back there yet.” Suki explained. “That’s why I’m looking for the best.”
“And you have found the best!” The Merchant replied as he caressed one of his head of Cabbages against his cheek. “My cabbages are the finest in the Earth Kingdom. They’re so delicious; Avatar Kyoshi would rise up to buy one!” He smiled, trying to sell his campaign even more. But as he looked at her face, he saw a serious look not unlike one you’d see on Kyoshi herself, especially considering Suki was in full Kyoshi Warrior attire. “Eh-heh, sorry! Slip of the tongue?”
The other members of Team Avatar were scattered throughout the Pier, some searching for supplies while others searched for information on Long Feng. The Pier was one of the few small providences that was passed over by the Dai Li’s siege of the Earth Kingdom; and as such, one of the few places the group can maneuver through without facing direct conflict.
Just west of Suki’s location were Sokka & Toph, who were inquiring about any suspicious activity or Dai Li sightings. “So you haven’t seen any robe-wearing Earthbenders with triangle hats?”
“For the last time No!” The female merchant barked. “Now buy something or leave!”
Not wanting to waste more of her time, or draw attention to themselves, Sokka & Toph departed for another stand. “Another dead end...” Sokka lamented.
“Tell me about it.” Toph agreed. “Honestly, we should’ve gone with Aang. Twinkle toes always had a way of finding out info. But, since we’re alone, how about we do some aura cleaning?”
She accentuated that suggestion by squeezing Sokka’s left butt cheek, causing a shocked yelp to emit from him. “GAHH! OK, do you have to do that!?”
“What? Nothing said you couldn’t squeeze mine.” She then grabbed his wrist and put his hand on her own backside, a place where it dwelled for a moment before Sokka remembered they were in public. “Cut that out! Have you ever thought that Suki might notice!?”
“Eh, I can take her.”
“Toph!”
“I know, I know.” She said, being serious. “But Ty Lee has a point; she can’t be around you all the time.”
She playfully ran her index finger across his chest as she walked off, grinning to herself about her ability to mess with Sokka like she’s done. But little did she know her head games did not go unnoticed. Even though Suki wasn’t there to witness the scene, Sokka still felt a cold chill run down his spine, along with a pair of eyes staring right through him...courtesy of his sister.
“Sokka, what did I just see?” Katara asked.
He flinched over hearing her voice, but quickly played it off. “You saw two good friends looking for information on the Dai Li. Isn’t that something YOU should be doing?”
“Sokka, when I asked you to talk to Toph a couple of nights ago, what did you do?”
Sokka took a deep breath, and answered. “Katara, I’m gonna be completely honest with you...you don’t wanna know that. So let’s just keep looking for info—!”
“You didn’t!” She said, cutting him off and shaking her head. “I can’t believe you! For once, just for once, can’t you just keep it in your pants!?”
“Oh like this is MY fault!?” Sokka replied in defense. “YOU were the one who told me to go in her room! Then Ty Lee got there and—!”
The two Water Siblings continued to argue as the rest of their group went about gathering information about the Dai Li. A fruitless effort to be made however, as a group of agents made their way into the Pier. They went from stand to stand much like Aang & his friends, except the information they sought was the location of Long Feng’s adopted daughter, Kyoko. Unfortunately they would not receive the answers they were looking for, until their path crossed with Suki, who didn’t notice them until too late.
“Hey, you’re a Kyoshi Warrior!” One of them announced. “STOP!”
They quickly surrounded her, leaving Suki in an unfavorable position. “This is not good.”
“Alright girl, just tell us where Master Feng’s daughter is, and we might let you off easy.” A second agent barked, trying to intimidate her.
Suki developed a smirk on her face after hearing that. “Sorry, can’t do that. Kyoshi privileges and all...”
“Let’s see how tight those lips stay when we bury you in the dirt!” The first agent threatened.
“You don’t want to do that.” She warned, her hands clutching her War Fans tightly as she prepared for battle.
“We’re wasting time! Look woman, give us her location right no—WHUUP!!!”
An attempt to grab her was all the opening Suki needed as she used his momentum to pull him forward before shifting their weight and tossing him over her shoulder, slamming him to the dirt. She followed through with the flip by rolling over him, then springing off of his stomach into the air to hit consecutive spinning kicks on an attacking Agent. As she landed, she sensed another one coming from behind, and responded sweeping his leg, knocking him to the ground. He quickly recovered however, and used his Earthbending to spring back to his feet for another attack. He pressed hard with rights and lefts, his fists covered by rock gloves, forcing Suki to bob & weave. Eventually, one haymaker swing created the opening she needed, and she took advantage delivering a snap kick to his side, then trapping his arm with the same leg. Bringing him to his knees, she used her War Fan to repeatedly slap him viciously, loud enough so that it echoed throughout the entire Pier. One final slap was delivered as she released her hold, letting him fall in a crumpled daze to the ground, his cheeks redder than a Fire Nation uniform; three down, 1 to go. But as Suki glanced upward, she spotted a large chunk of earth in the air, being hurled at her by the final Dai Li agent.
“Flatten Kyoshi Warrior, coming up!”
The area of the Marketplace left little room to maneuver, and Suki had little time to react because of the rock’s descent. But as she felt the shadow of the rock loom over her, she sensed another shadow soaring high as well, along with a familiar presence. A moment later, Sokka appear flying over her, Space Sword in hand as he swung with all the might he could muster, slicing the rock in half; each on falling on either side of Suki safely. He landed right in front of her, ready for battle.
“Nice entrance, Sokka.” She joked.
“It’s the sword.” He quipped back. “I love you, Space sword.”
“HA!” The agent shouted, unimpressed. “What good is a stupid sword against one of the mightiest Earthbend—DAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!”
In a blink of an eye, the agent was jettisoned several dozen feet in the air, courtesy of Toph’s Earthbending. “You’d think they’d learn by now. I’M the Mightiest Earthbender! Period!”
“You know, I could’ve handled that, Toph.” Sokka remarked.
“Just giving you some backup, babe.” Toph replied.
“Wait...did you just call him ‘Babe’?” Suki asked.
Realizing their error, the two were quick to correct it. “NOPE!” They said in unison.
“What’s going on!?” Katara and the rest of the group quickly joined up with Sokka & the others after hearing the commotion.
“A few Dai Li agents.” Suki answered. “Nothing we couldn’t handle.”
“Wait, a few?” Azula inquired. “Dai Li travel by the dozens, hundreds even; not in small packs.”
Zuko felt the same suspicion as his sister. “Meaning this is a trap!”
Suddenly, a low rumble filled the air and was felt throughout the Pier. Toph tried to steady the tremors but couldn’t get firm footing. Looking around, she and the rest of the group saw the four Dai Li agents from before kneeling down on the ground, using their Earthbending to create the quakes.
Toph knew she was too late to stop it, and instead warned her friends. “Get ready for a hard landing!”
THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!
A moment later, the ground fell from beneath their feet, sending them plummeting down from the marketplace into the caverns which rested beneath. The agents used their bending to rip the chunk of earth they were on from its place and plunge them into the depths, where more Dai Li Agents awaited their arrival, with Tsung leading them. The group slowly climbed to their feet only to see the danger surrounding them underground...and a Cabbage Cart that fell in between Aang & Sokka, crashing into pieces.
“NO, MY CABBAGES!!!”
“MASTER TSUNG, THE AVATAR!!!”
“I can see that, fool!” Tsung responded as he slowly walked forward. “On behalf of our new Earth King, Lord Feng, I like to welcome you to your final resting place! HAAA!!!”
Without hesitation he charged forward, his strike aimed directly at the Avatar. Aang readied himself for the attack, but it was one he would not experience; for Katara stepped between the two with a stream of water from her pouch that she quickly converted to ice, nearly freezing Tsung’s arm and chest. The aggressor jumped back, put off by the surprise new challenger, but still ready for combat.
“The Avatar hides behind his woman?” Tsung surmised. “How pathetic.”
“The Avatar has much more important matters, like saving the innocent people YOU tried to bring down here with us!” Katara countered, referring to the shop owners and customers above; some of whom are hanging on for dear life to prevent their fall into the pit. Aang sees this and immediately hops into action, using his Airbending to boost the bystanders up to safety as Katara dealt with the immediate danger. “Your fight...is now with me!”
Holding out her hand, she drew forth the water that flowed through the rock formations below the Pier, drawing forth enough to send it crashing through the wall as she snatched her arm back. Tsung was able to dodge the initial attack, but found himself on the defensive and retreating. He drew up blocks of stone from the ground as barriers, but Katara’s Waterbending expertly whipped around each and every obstacle to attack him. She turned her attack stream into ice with each strike, dealing more of an impact to her foe and preserving the stream longer. Changing his strategy, Tsung went on the offensive with a full-on charge, successfully avoiding her next attack. But he would find his decision a flawed one as Katara responded with a trio of hard punches to his chest, followed by a firm spin kick which staggered him, and finishing off with a water strike which threw him several feet away.
Meanwhile the entire cavern was filled with combat as the Avatar’s friends fearlessly fought against the Dai Li. Though even with the action unfolding around him, Sokka was still able to witness Katara’s mastery in action. “OK, can someone tell me what’s gotten into my sister and why she’s so aggressive now?”
“Haven’t the foggiest...” Azula answered as she watched Sokka’s flank.
She kept quiet on her discussion with Katara, but smirked over the apparent results it has yielded as she was indeed more aggressive in this fight. Aang had just completed the task of moving innocent bystanders out of the battlefield, as Katara and the others held the Dai Li at bay, and dwindled their numbers down significantly. She used her water currents like blades as she sliced through each rock barrier Tsung brought up; masterfully blending water and ice as she finally connected with a clear slice across Tsung’s arm.
“Surrender now and we’ll take you in.” Katara demanded. “Don’t make this any worse...”
“I...will not lose...to the likes of YOU!” Tsung responded.
“You can’t win this!” Sokka told him. “We’re taking down your boss and we’re not telling you where Kyoko is.”
Just then, Tsung began to laugh, almost maniacally. “In all honesty, I don’t care what you’ve done with that failure!? Feng’s compassion for his ‘daughter’ will lead to his and the Dai Li’s downfall. So I will just inform our new King that in our attempt to liberate her from her captives...she succumbed to her fate.”
“Aang would never kill, and your boss knows that.” Sokka reminded Tsung. “You really think he’ll buy that?”
“No, but the Avatar is well-known for associating with those who don’t share his concern for human life.” Tsung shot back. “In fact, there are the Fire Nation Siblings now.”
“I think we’ve just been insulted, ZuZu.” Azula surmised.
But Azula also sensed an ulterior motive behind this impromptu confession from Tsung, as he continued his bombastic boast. At first it escaped her notice, but then it began to ring clear; the walls of the cavern were trembling again. Not as wildly as what caused their descent into this Dai Li trap, but enough to cause a possible rockslide which would bury them if they didn’t see it coming. She turned to Toph, who also noticed the tremors. As they made eye contact, they both nodded slowly, knowing what to prepare for.
“ZUKO, READY A BLAST!!!” Azula warned.
“This is gonna get bumpy, people!” Toph said, reading her Earthbending.
His plan exposed, Tsung went through on it anyway. “BURY THEM!!!”
The tremors became more violent upon those words echoing through the cavern, as every Dai Li agent sought to bring the walls down around the Gaang. Toph tried her best to keep the rock formations in one piece, but pebble by pebble they began to fall apart. The turbulent quakes eventually jarred two stalactites loose, sending them plummeting downward.
“ZUKO!” Azula called out.
“I see them!”
Joining together, the Fire Siblings unleashed a concentrated blast which completely incinerated the first stalactite. But as the blast flamed out, the second stalactite was shown to be only singed, and still falling.
“Zuko!”
There was little to no time to react for the Fire Lord, and as the rock spike reached the moment of impact, he could only hear a familiar voice and feel arms moving him. The stalactite nearly tore through the ground below, its impact sending Zuko and another flying through the air, until their propulsion was halted by a cavern wall.
...
For a moment, Zuko could only see blackness in front of him, and hear only garbled sounds of panic along with loud rumbles. Slowly his vision faded in, showing only blurred images at first. His vision would sharpen to show more fighting going on around him. But what caught his attention was the sight right in front of him; both his sister and Ty Lee kneeled over Mai, who had a significant bruise on her forehead.
“Mai! Mai! Is she OK!?” Ty Lee panicked.
“I don’t know yet Ty Lee, but she needs space!” Azula told her.
The sight of his love lying unconscious was more than enough to snap him out of his daze. Wearily he stood up, his fists clenched as he gritted his teeth. His golden eyes burned as he scanned the battlefield, looking for the man responsible. A moment later he found Tsung, dodging Aang’s Earthbending as the two squared off. It was at that moment that all sound was blocked out from him as he focused solely on the man responsible for Mai’s injury. His hands aflame, he dug his feet in and let loose with a massive flame blast which illuminated the entire cavern, and drew Tsung’s attention. Reacting quickly, he drew up a stone wall to block the blast, only to have it, and himself, become completely engulfed.
Aang was in shock over the intensity of the attack. “Zuko...no.” Thinking quickly, he used his Airbending to extinguish the flames, leaving Tsung scrambling to take off his robe, which was still ablaze. But the Fire Lord was not done, and Aang could see it.
“You are right; Aang wouldn’t take your life.” He coldly uttered, readying another intense blast. “That doesn’t mean you deserve to have it. And everything you’ve done only shows that you don’t value it!”
Minor burns adorned Tsung’s bare torso, as he nervously readied himself to defend another attack.
“Here’s your Trial by Fire, Tsung!”
Zuko’s attack was even more powerful than his last, but a similar blast from Aang deflected both of their attacks upward, causing a volcanic-like eruption out of the bender-made chasm in the Pier. Both Benders continued their fiery output, neither backing down or easing up from their technique. Aang could feel the anger & hatred in Zuko’s attack, and it strained him extremely just to hold his own. So much so that it triggered his Avatar State, causing him to instinctively use his Airbending to snuff out both of their flames.
They stood there, almost motionless as all eyes focused on their stand-off. Aang’s eyes glowed brightly as all four elements reacted around him, and Zuko’s body became engulfed in a ring of fire. It was an awe-inspiring yet horrific sight, as two of the most powerful benders in the world stared each other down; The Avatar & the Fire Lord.
“Out of my WAY, Avatar!” Zuko ordered. “He needs to pay!”
Aang stood firm. “I can’t let you do this.”
“MOVE, AANG!!!”
Both of their displays of power flared up, indicating each was ready to strike with all of their might. And Spirits help anyone who’d dare to get between them.
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Kingdom of War