Ashes of Devotion [ATLA - Azula x OC]

[Henshark]

I can't wait for the conversation between lin and azula next chapter and that artwork is amazing

 

[NightmareWarden]

I've caught up!

I feel bad for Zuko. He lost so, so much time with his initial recovery and the first year of his search for the Avatar. So much time he could have observed the new equipment in action or the lack of honor in war. The industrialization of the fire nation in this timeline WOULD be absurd, if not for what we know of the drill project and Azula's canon train contraption.

I wish we got a larger focus on the risks of some technologies. Firebending is stronger (and PROBABLY more responsive) during the daytime under the sun. So gliding could be exhausting or dangerous at night. Soldiers aren't deafening themselves with explosives or otherwise having trouble adapting to guns. The tanks result in non-benders' gloves burning in certain circumstances.


It's a bit weird that the mechanist wasn't kidnapped in the modern era. I get that he helped with Lin's prosthetics, but in the last few years? It seems like extending the eastern corner of the warfront on the continent towards the eastern air temple, or simply stealing him from their community, would be quite attractive. Maybe Lin's family used some connections to honor a deal with him, make his protections/independence somewhat substantial? Hmm.


We got a spirit, woo! Two spirits, actually. I don't think Agni's plan here is nefarious, but I reckon there WILL be moderate consequences when he calls in that favor.

Lastly: Ba Sing Se. This could be a big arc. It could be a good time for a party or two to infiltrate the city, experience part of the world, disguised, for some time. Live for weeks free of Lin's dangerous charisma and high expectations. Or maybe not! So far, Lin has managed to solve problems rather than bury seeds for future problems. Ba Sing Se could break that streak.

 

[Lucernello]

I feel bad for Zuko. He lost so, so much time with his initial recovery and the first year of his search for the Avatar. So much time he could have observed the new equipment in action or the lack of honor in war. The industrialization of the fire nation in this timeline WOULD be absurd, if not for what we know of the drill project and Azula's canon train contraption.

Click to shrink...

Zuko will... keep losing sadly. My story is not long enough for him to grow like in the show. The drill is totally absurd in my opinion, haha. It had like an extended command center kind of thing that almost made it look like a mecha for a second. It was so weird.

I wish we got a larger focus on the risks of some technologies. Firebending is stronger (and PROBABLY more responsive) during the daytime under the sun. So gliding could be exhausting or dangerous at night. Soldiers aren't deafening themselves with explosives or otherwise having trouble adapting to guns. The tanks result in non-benders' gloves burning in certain circumstances.

Click to shrink...

I've had many things removed from my chapters, mainly because I feel we are going too slow. You are right that more could be expanded, and your points are really good, but if I go into details on most of the realistic aspects we can encounter in what new technologies there are, it will either have very long chapters or chapters where nothing really happens, besides it will take me longer to update.

Regarding what you said, firebending is weaker at night, but I don't think it would be to the point of exhaustion and dangerous for gliders. They are adapted to land almost anywhere, in this era there is so much open space that it wouldn't really be a big issue, and the crew could rotate the firebender while it is in the air. Also, that the Fire Nation attacked Agna Qel'a at night and was still somewhat successful, even with Zhao doing weird things, means it is not that big of a deal. Soldiers did deafened themselves with artillery, kind of like in World War I, they would slowly lose their hearing gradually. That said, they haven't been used that much aside from Shen Guan, so it will be in Ba Sing Se where you will see more of that issue. I think before their gloves burning, soldiers would be concussed as it was not made to hold a cannon originally, the sound and recoil would cause issues for them. Their armor and most of their clothes are already quite fire-resistant.

It's a bit weird that the mechanist wasn't kidnapped in the modern era. I get that he helped with Lin's prosthetics, but in the last few years? It seems like extending the eastern corner of the warfront on the continent towards the eastern air temple, or simply stealing him from their community, would be quite attractive. Maybe Lin's family used some connections to honor a deal with him, make his protections/independence somewhat substantial? Hmm.

Click to shrink...

The mechanist definitely saved Lin's life and is enjoying retirement paid by the Renshi family. He resides at the northern air temple not the eastern, and it's in a territory controlled by the Fire Nation already, no fighting there at the moment. It will make an appearence in the last stage of Aang's trip to the northern water tribe, we will see more of his life there.

Lastly: Ba Sing Se. This could be a big arc. It could be a good time for a party or two to infiltrate the city, experience part of the world, disguised, for some time. Live for weeks free of Lin's dangerous charisma and high expectations. Or maybe not! So far, Lin has managed to solve problems rather than bury seeds for future problems. Ba Sing Se could break that streak.

Click to shrink...

I think I'm proud of my plans for Ba Sing Se. I hope you like it.
I'm glad you enjoyed it so far.

 

[Lucernello]

AN: Hello, two chapters time! Chapter 1 of 2 today. I hope you are having a great Friday. I leave you a small chibi art made by Aurora again.

Have a great weekend,
Luce
​

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99 A.G

'...What?'

'WHAT?!'

Lin stared at Azula, unable to produce even the simplest response. Her heart struck harder against her ribs, heat spread through her chest and she could feel the tightness gathering in her throat.

Her fingers remained rigid at her sides while her breathing became shallow. A faint pressure built behind her ears as her pulse quickened, leaving Azula's face the only thing she could properly focus on.

For several seconds, she could only stand there beneath Azula's gaze, stunned. She knew that there was a possibility that Azula had feelings for her, but Lin never expected that the princess would want to take it that far. A relationship between them made public to all.

Not only did she not seem bothered by both of them being women, but also about the repercussions she would face after such a public union. Azula looked confident that such a thing wouldn't be a problem.

Moreover it wasn't a proposition made for a political reason. There was no advantage gained in their union, her family was already loyal and supportive of the royal family, regardless if she was made consort or not.

"Princess…" Lin began, but quickly had to correct herself as Azula narrowed her eyes and glared at her. "Sorry, Azula. Can you… can you explain why you would want that?"

"It's fairly obvious there is no better match to lead our people. You have been giving us victory after victory. You want to continue improving our civilization, you are even bettering the situation for everyone, I've seen it. There would be no one stronger than us together, no one would be able to come close to us." she said, determined.

"Are you not concerned that such a union would be illegal?" Lin asked.

"I'm not. Fire Lord Sozin made it illegal, so I can make it legal again. With the war being over by then, there is no need for that edict. I understand it was important for manpower, but it won't be needed forever, and our people would support my stance against it."

Lin was left speechless once again. 'A royal family member, someone who has obviously been trained from a very young age doesn't care about it. Is it not as much of a problem as I thought it to be?'

"Are you opposed to it?" Azula asked.

'Can I even reject it?' she thought. Overall, it was a great opportunity for her goals of changing the form of government in the Fire Nation without having to turn to violence and a coup to take over. Azula was also a dear friend and Lin enjoyed her presence.

She could admit Azula was getting attractive as she grew up, and Fire Lord Ozai had many years still left to live, so the princess becoming Fire Lord was years ahead, then the age gap wouldn't really matter anymore.

Lin also felt that they could bond over many things to make the relationship work, she valued Azula's drive, passion and intelligence. Once the war was over she could keep teaching and guiding her to make a life outside war and conflict.

Lin's power-grabbing and prestige-focused family would love the union. They could care less about genders as long as they got more renown for their family and they would support anything that would push them further to the top of the nation.

The only problem was that she was unsure the nation would support their union and rule. After three consecutive dictators, Lin was worried that the population would reject something like that.

"Not entirely, Azula… I just worry about the problems that may come to pass. You are to rule our nation, I'm afraid that being your consort would bring trouble your way."

"I'm sure some may voice their incorrect and insignificant opinions, but they would be muffled by the cries of those that cherish our victories. I have no doubts we will return in glory to the Fire Isles, and no one would oppose us. Besides, I already have plans underway to boost nobles and high-ranking military officers with conservative views, while quietly removing those who oppose them."

It was so confusing for Lin how in this backwards world, supporting homosexuality was considered conservative. That Princess Azula had already a plan to not only legalize, but to favor those who would support her, was good. Lin was still unsure what to do.

"I can even pardon Zuko and have him secure an heir for the throne. Royal blood would still be able to continue through him and we can prepare them for when we are gone."

"I see… you have thought it over a lot already." Lin remarked, thoughtful.

"Of course. I'm confident it can be done." Azula said. "I've also realized I care for you. I cherish the moments when you are proud of my accomplishments. I miss you when we are apart. They cannot be clearer signs."

"I… I admit I appreciate and care for you as well." Lin replied, flustered.

"There is no one better for you than me. Don't worry about our people, we'll handle it just fine." Azula said.

Now, having to think about a possible relationship, she was self-conscious about her prosthetics. Azula had seen her at the beach so the nasty scars had been visible to her. Maybe she wasn't counting on their relationship being physical at all and had no issues with her appearance. Still, it was best to ask.

"And… Do you find me attractive?" Lin asked.

"Lin, I spent years studying you for weaknesses. If your appearance were one of them, I would have used it against you already." she replied.

"Right… Well… you are attractive-"

"Obviously."

"-as well. We can go into greater details later on. I can help with whatever plans you have for the future." Lin said.

"I knew you would see it my way." Azula, smirked.

"I assume you don't want to make it public until you are Fire Lord, so for now, nothing would change for us, right?" Lin said, confirming that indeed it would be years before anything happened.

"For now, yes, although… in private, things could change." Azula said, slowly.

"H-How so?" Asked Lin, not liking where that was going.

"Well…I admit I lack experience, but I've come to know that there are things to explore between each other that can be done before any marriage arrangement." Azula said.

"You have come to know…?"

"Yes. Kaida gave me a few tips and suggested a few things I could do to get close to someone I like and I'm curious to try them."

'Betrayal.'

"I don't know if that is the best idea, Azula." Lin said, feeling heat on her cheeks again.

"Oh so you do know about them as well." Azula commented, then closed the distance between them, which wasn't much to begin with, both sitting in the same bunk already. She then caught Lin by surprise, placing a kiss on her lips.

Lin froze the moment their lips touched. Her eyes remained open, fixed on Azula's face while her mind failed to decide what she was supposed to do. Heat spread quickly across her cheeks and down her neck, and her heart began beating hard enough that she could feel it through her chest.

She had expected Azula to suggest something embarrassing, perhaps holding hands or attempting another awkward compliment, but the kiss left her completely unprepared. Her fingers tightened against the edge of the bunk while Azula remained close, giving her nowhere else to direct her attention.

The contact was brief and uncertain, yet Lin still felt the warmth of it after Azula pulled back. She drew in a slow breath. Lin could think of nothing useful to say. She shouldn't have allowed Azula to do that.

"Together we will be the strongest couple in the entire world. We will dominate the earth!" she said, igniting blue flames in each hand.

Lin couldn't help herself and laughed. She laughed about the absurdity of it all, she laughed because it was awkward and silly, having her first kiss with a teenager as if her life had restarted and she wasn't the older woman she felt herself to be. It was better than feeling guilty about it.

She laughed at how the princess was affected by their kiss, being all euphoric and saying something silly. Azula laughed with her as well, although it was more of a wicked and awkward laugh.

"Alright, Azula. We will." Lin finally said. "For now though, I'm hungry, let's go find Toph and have someone bring food for us."

'I need time to think.'

"Fine." Azula said. "But we are exploring more of that later, Kaida had more suggestions after all."

'I will strangle her.' she thought, facepalming.
​

---

Azula felt pleased with how everything had gone. Telling Lin that she wanted her as her consort had not been the plan when she entered her carriage. She had intended to ask about Lin's plans, and spend some time together, nothing stressful.

Yet, the words had left her mouth without hesitation. She didn't expect Lin to ask at that time, but she felt confident that if she was asking her directly, then that meant that she had already considered it, like Azula did. The princess was never really concerned, she knew that the proposition was the best one Lin could get.

The result had been more than satisfactory, and she even wondered why she had even waited to voice her proposition. Lin didn't refuse her, even though she did raise concerns. However, Azula expected her to, and was confident every problem could be solved.

The law could be changed, the nobles could be managed, and Zuko could secure the continuation of the royal bloodline. None of those matters worried her. What mattered was that Lin had agreed to consider their future together and had even admitted that she found Azula attractive.

Obviously, Azula had already known that last part, but hearing Lin say it had still been pleasant. It felt like those small moments when Azula was praised by her. It made her feel content and her inner fire felt warmer and stronger than before.

She was less certain what to think about the kiss. Kaida had spoken about kissing with great importance, describing it as something exciting and intimate that could leave a person unable to think properly.

Azula had expected something more impressive. Their lips had touched for a few seconds, and that had been all. She had experienced greater physical closeness while grappling during training, particularly when Lin pinned her to the floor and corrected the position of her arms or legs.

Compared to the close combat training, a kiss required considerably less skill and there was not much contact to begin with. Still, Lin's reaction had made the attempt worthwhile. Her eyes had widened, her face had reddened, and she had been unable to speak for a few seconds.

The kiss had clearly affected Lin for she had started laughing soon after. Perhaps the value was found in the surprise, and how others view what a kiss meant. If that was the case, the rest of Kaida's suggestions might prove equally useful.

Azula would have to examine them carefully and decide which ones were appropriate. She had no intention of making herself look foolish simply because Kaida believed couples were supposed to behave in certain ways.

The three of them had eaten together afterward. Toph sat with one hand pressed against the floor, her brow furrowed.

"This train is too fast for my feet." she complained. "The whole ground keeps vibrating. I can feel the tracks, the wheels, and every carriage behind us, but they all blur together. Half the time I can't tell where the actual floor is."

"Well, I haven't seen you fall anywhere." Lin pointed out. "How have you managed to move without issues?"

"Because I'm great at everything."

"You walked into the table earlier." Azula commented.

"Well… not everything."

Azula glanced at Lin and noticed that she still avoided looking at her for more than a few seconds. It reminded her of the way Zuko used to react whenever she mentioned Mai. She had never expected Lin to become so easy to embarrass, and she found it amusing.

Their conversation remained on inconsequential subjects through the trip.

"How have your lessons progressed?" Lin asked Toph.

"I'm still learning to write, even if reading isn't a problem anymore." Toph replied, sounding less enthusiastic. "It's slow, and everything has to be pressed correctly into the paper, I get impatient and mess up."

"I see, what else?" Lin asked.

"Well, music is better. Some of the soldiers have several instruments and a few of them are teaching me how to play."

"Which instruments?"

"I like the pipa, the strings vibrate in a nice way against my fingers and it is easy to find where to place my fingers. I also like the drums, it's fun."

"I enjoy playing the Erhu or a Liuqin." Azula commented.

Toph grinned. "We can start a band then, what do you play, Lin?" she said, jokingly.

"I sadly break any instrument that I would want to play with my prosthetics." Lin said.

Toph laughed. "Well you could sing if you don't like the drums."

"Well, I suppose I could."

Azula took another bite before turning the conversation toward something more useful.

"The new armor is not as comfortable to wear I hear." she said. "Several people have already complained about it."

"The layered fabric armor?" Lin asked.

"Silk and linen beneath the metal plates, yes." Azula confirmed. "The Ministry claims the layers can catch and stop fragments from the bullets of our handguns."

Toph pouted. "How come I didn't get one yet?"

"Well, they are mostly testing them and as everyone says, they are not very comfortable. A royal version would have to be made for me and Lin as she is a general now, so I assume those take longer to make. You would obviously get one of those as well." Azula replied.

Lin considered it. "It is true that a set of different cloth pieces could stop a bullet, especially after the initial hit against the metal would have caused the bullet to fragment. A rifle bullet would still go through most of it."

"I'm sure the army will come up with a new development soon." Azula said. "Your weapons have made them nervous, Lin." she chuckled.

"Even if the Earth Kingdom captured one, they would have difficulty using it for long. They would still need ammunition, replacement parts and understanding of how it works. I don't see them being a real problem yet." Lin said.

"They could study the mechanism." Azula said.

"They could, yes." Lin agreed. "That doesn't mean they could reproduce it. They don't have our industries to reproduce the parts and they still haven't managed to reproduce blasting jelly. I don't expect them to make a breakthrough anytime soon. The armor is mostly meant to reassure the soldiers."

"I guess so. Still it might come in handy in case some of our guns do end up in their hands." Azula replied.

"Of course, I'm not against it, I just think they are a bit expensive when the enemy doesn't have guns to begin with." Lin reasoned.

"I hope they make something cool for me." Toph added.

"I can request something from my family for you if that was something you really wanted, Toph." Lin said.

"Really? Awesome!"

Nothing was said about what had happened in the bunk, and Toph appeared unaware of any change between them, which was preferable for now. The small girl would be insufferable in her teasing. Even if she was indeed correct all this time.

The train continued northeast, and they would reach the Serpent's Pass within a week. Toph was correct that the train was going quite fast, it was a marvel of engineering. Her nation was really creating innovation after innovation.

After reaching the narrow pass, the engineers needed to construct a bridge strong enough to carry the locomotive, artillery, and supply wagons across the water. Once they passed that point, progress would slow further, as they had to construct new tracks ahead of the convoy.

So overall, they had some time before reaching Ba Sing Se. Time she intended to use to craft her plans. While Lin and Toph continued talking, she returned her attention to the problem of her father.

Removing Ozai from the palace would require more than just getting rid of him. The royal guard, the ministers, and the senior officers stationed in the capital would all need to accept the transfer of power before anyone loyal to him could organize a counter-coup.

Her ancestors had solved similar disputes through poison. Other successions had ended in civil war, with rival members of the royal family gathering armies and burning entire provinces before one side finally surrendered.

Azula preferred to avoid both outcomes. Poison would be effective, but it would leave too many questions and her rule would be seen as weak. Not to mention losing the leader of your nation while at war would be disastrous for morale.

Not that she really cared for them but she had seen how morale changed how hard the army fought after Lin's speeches. It was something to have in mind. Civil war on the other hand, would damage the nation at the exact moment it needed to consolidate its victories.

She wanted her father removed cleanly, with the palace and the military under her control before he understood what was happening. There had to be a way. She wouldn't rest until she found it.
​

---

The guards at the entrance to the mining village barely questioned them. They looked over Appa, asked where they had traveled from, and allowed them through after Katara said they were from the Southern Water Tribe and showed Lin's scroll.

"I hate how that damn scroll helps us so much." Sokka said once they were inside.

"They were pale when they saw it this time, I think she is feared here. Look, everyone is staying clear of us." Aang replied.

Around them the soldiers and guards stationed there indeed were avoiding them like the plague, their gazes didn't stop on them for more than a second. He was amazed at how many there were for such a small town.

The village was busy despite that. Earthbenders guided carts filled with coal along the streets, keeping them raised above the ground using their skills. Workers entered and left the mines while a few merchants attended small stalls near the houses.

The soldiers watched over everything, but Aang did not see them interfering with the villagers. Some even spoke casually with the workers, and the atmosphere looked calm instead of the oppressive feeling Omashu had.

As they walked around, Aang bought a hat so that he didn't have to use the winter coat anymore to hide his tattoos. Near the outskirts of town, they found a crowd gathered around two young men. One wore Fire Nation armor, while the other stood in plain Earth Kingdom clothes with his hands raised.

The firebender attacked first, sending a controlled flame toward the earthbender's side. The boy blocked it with a low wall and pushed a stone beneath the soldier's feet. The soldier jumped away before it could knock him over and answered with another burst of fire.

"Oh, a fight." Katara said.

Neither of them aimed directly at the other. Their attacks stopped short or gave enough time to move away, and the people around them cheered when they did score a small hit on one another.

Aang watched with interest. This was the second time they had heard of a young earthbender training with Fire Nation soldiers. He had always imagined the two groups meeting through battle, yet here they were, sparring.

The earthbender finally raised a block of stone below one of the soldier's legs and pushed him backward, then raised a slab that hit him on the side and threw him to the ground. Before the firebender could stand, a big rock stopped above him.

The soldier raised his hands. "Fine, kid. You win."

The earthbender grinned, moved the rock away and helped him up.

Aang approached once the crowd began to leave. "That was great! You messed with his footing as he was about to throw a fireball, awesome timing."

"He keeps falling for that." the boy said simply.

"Yeah, yeah, don't get cocky now, you only have one win over me. See you later." the soldier replied before returning to his post.

"I'm Aang. These are Katara and Sokka."

"My name is Haru, nice to meet you." the earthbender answered.

When they explained that they had traveled from the Southern Water Tribe and that they were heading north to find a waterbender master, Haru offered to show them around. He led them past the workers' homes and toward the larger mine entrances.

Katara looked at another group of earthbenders moving coal. "There are so many earthbenders here…Why aren't you fighting the Fire Nation to free yourselves?"

Haru looked at them worried then glanced around in panic, only to be relieved that no one was around.

"We don't have much choice. Maybe we can gain control of our town and defeat the garrison here, but we're a small village, and there aren't enough earthbenders here to fight an army when they inevitably come to retake it. They control most of the western continent now, from the north to the southern coast. Even if we left they would capture us before reaching anywhere important."

"So you do nothing?" Katara asked, angry. "You could fight back!"

"Funny. My father used to be very courageous like that. When the Fire Nation invaded, he and the other earthbenders were outnumbered ten to one, but they fought back anyway."

"He sounds like a great man." Sokka said.

"After the attack, they rounded up my father and every other earthbender and took them away. For almost a year we never saw them again."

"But there are a lot of earthbenders here now…" Aang commented.

"Yes…Around two years ago a terrifying girl with metal limbs came here and changed everything." Haru replied.

"Lin." Sokka said.

Haru looked at him. "You know her?"

"We've met her, yes. She is scary." Katara answered and Haru nodded.

"The previous overseer was overworking the elders, stealing money from us and punishing anyone who complained. When she arrived with her army, they had to work in the mines to get coal for there were no earthbenders here to help them." Haru continued. "When they were about to leave, she saw the overseer attempt to threaten my mother for money. I was so angry back then, and I tried to have him back away, but two others held me back. For some reason this girl intervened, which led to a fight, she killed him by burning him to ashes. I was not there to see it, but the ones who were, still have nightmares to this day."

"She killed her own people?" Sokka asked, horrified.

"Yes. She then replaced the garrison overseer with someone of her own people and brought our earthbenders back. We still have to mine coal for them, but they pay the workers and let us use earthbending openly. We've also managed to ask for a few more things here and there."

"So everyone decided to cooperate?" Aang asked.

"Once they came back, they decided it was better than being killed in the middle of the sea." Haru said. "I don't agree with it, but my father lost his drive to fight, and everyone else follows his lead. He says we just have to wait the war out, to survive, that it won't be long now until the Fire Nation wins it all."

"How can he say that? He sounds like he already gave up." Katara said.

"He has, which is why we have grown distant to one another… anyway, I need to get back to my home. If you need a place to stay I can ask my mother, we may be able to offer you our barn to stay the night."

"Thank you, Haru, we don't know if we will stay yet but if we do we will stop by." Aang said.

As Haru went back home, Aang looked back at the village. It was clear that everyone was tired of fighting. The war was coming to a close, and people were already treating each other better and working toward being peaceful or at least civil with one another, even in occupation.

"How can they just choose not to fight?" Katara asked, disappointed.

"I think it's better if everyone looks for peace." Aang said.

"If the Fire Nation wanted peace they would leave them alone and go away." Katara said.

"Yeah, they are still in control of the village. They should go back to their isles." Sokka agreed.

Aang didn't know what to think.

"Anyway guys, what do you think about spending the night here?" he asked.

"We still don't know why there were so many flying machines heading north or where they went, so I think we should stay and leave on Appa in the morning where we can see clearly if we can fly or not. If they discover that he is a flying bison they will surely grow suspicious. I worry that if they find out that you are the Avatar, there will be many fireballs coming our way." Sokka said.

"Alright, but you will have to help me make sure Appa doesn't eat all of their hay." Aang said, smiling.
​

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"We are about to get moving again, Aiku. Is everything ready to depart?" Zhou said, as he approached the captain.

"Yep, I'm just wondering if I will have to carry the captain here back to her quarters so that we don't leave her behind." Aiku said, pointing down to the ground where Kaida laid face down.

"Oh?"

"Ugh…I am officially hurting in places I didn't even know existed." Kaida whined.

"What did you do for Lin to punish you with intense training anyway?" Aiku asked.

"I don't know!" she cried, and whimpered when she tried to look up.

"Come on, I'll help you. Let's carry her back." Zhou said, simply. Sometimes, it was better not to know.​

 

[Lucernello]

AN: Chapter 2 of 2 uploaded today.

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99 A.G

It had taken another two weeks for the railway guns to reach firing range of Ba Sing Se's outer wall. The engineers had finished reinforcing the tracks that morning, and the crews were already positioning the guns where they were needed.

Lin stood at the head of the table inside her command tent. The senior officers of the Fourth Army had gathered around it, joined by Major General Shinu of the Second Army, Azula and Toph. A large map of the surrounding terrain covered most of the table, with markers showing the wall, the railway line and the positions their scouts had identified.

"We begin the advance tomorrow morning." Lin said. "The Fourth Army will move toward the wall until our field artillery is within range. The railway crews, engineers and the Second Army will remain here."

General Shinu looked down at the marked positions. "My entire army is staying in reserve?"

"Yes. I expect the enemy to send a force against us once the bombardment begins. They will likely test our lines before committing more soldiers. The Fourth Army will meet that attack while your men protect the railway and prepare to reinforce any section that requires it."

Lin moved several markers forward through the map for them to visualize.

"We will attack three different sections of the wall, that means we will be dividing our forces. The tanks, infantry and firebenders will form the main line of each group. The two rifle companies will remain behind them and engage first using their range advantage. Colonel Mongke and his rhinos will remain closely watching over our flanks until the wall is breached, and they can move ahead of everyone else."

"The field artillery assigned to each group will stay as the army advances and will begin firing once they are close enough. Their main target will be the wall, although they may support the front line if the Earth Kingdom sends a large force against us."

Azula studied the map. "Why aren't we dropping troops from the gliders behind the wall?"

"Or better yet, why don't you just land people on top of the wall?" Toph commented.

"Because every gun we have will be firing toward it, fighting in that condition would be extremely dangerous." Lin said. "Landing troops inside the walls would also place our soldiers behind enemy lines with no support. The Earth Kingdom has enough men to surround them before we can breach the walls and reinforce them."

"So no jumping onto the wall." Azula said.

"No."

"That probably would have been annoying anyway."

"We will use the gliders, and they will launch at the same time as the advance. Their first task is reconnaissance, but they will also observe the impacts from the railway guns and report any corrections, flying in between the wall and the artillery units. The gliders will confirm where each shell lands, return to signal the corrections, and then fly back toward the wall and so on."

One of the officers frowned. "Would it not be better to wait until the rest of the army is in position before revealing the guns?"

"The enemy already knows we are here." Lin replied. "Several of their scouts have been killed near the railway. They know we brought heavy weapons, even if they do not know their exact range. We gain nothing by delaying the first shots."

She pointed at three marked sections near the base of the wall.

"The guns will fire at these positions. Once the aim is correct, the bombardment will continue until the wall collapses or the ammunition is exhausted."

Lin turned toward the latest report resting beside the map.

"Our estimates place the defending force at approximately five hundred thousand soldiers."

Several officers reacted at once, and Lin raised a hand to quiet them.

"That is more than six times our total strength." General Shinu said.

"Correct." Lin replied. "Ba Sing Se has a population of approximately four million by our calculations, taking into account the refugee situation. Around twelve percent of that population is already serving in some military capacity, and more could be raised after we enter the city."

"Then breaching the wall may be the least of our problems…" Captain Aiku said.

"It will be." Lin agreed. "The wall itself does not concern me. General Sung commands the defense, and every report describes him as an officer promoted through nepotism. He has more soldiers than he knows how to coordinate. If we open several breaches before he can reorganize them, his numbers will make communication harder."

Captain Kaida smiled slightly. "Too many men trying to respond to too many orders."

"Yes. We need to enter before he establishes a proper defense behind the wall."

Lin reached for another marker and placed it beside the railway line.

"Toph, you will remain with the trains."

Toph crossed her arms. "Why do I have to stay all the way back here?"

"Because the railway guns will become their main target once they understand they cannot defeat our forces directly. They may attempt to tunnel beneath the tracks or the artillery positions."

Toph considered that for a moment. "I'll feel them before they get close."

"That is what I am depending on. You have permission to pull them out of the ground and capture them if possible. If they threaten the guns or the engineers, you may use whatever force is necessary."

"Fine. I can do that."

General Shinu continued examining the distances marked on the map.

"How long do you expect my army to remain here before the wall is breached?"

"Between eighteen and twenty-four hours."

"What?!" Shinu shouted. "You can't be serious, General. That wall has resisted attacks for centuries. Even the Dragon of the West failed to enter the city after a siege lasting six-hundred days. You cannot expect it to fall in one."

"I expect all three sections to fall within a day, actually." she said.

Several of the officers looked at her with disbelief, only Azula looked reassured.

"The twelve railway guns are being divided into three batteries of four. Each battery will fire at one of the marked positions. We have more than a hundred and thirty field artillery pieces, some will remain on reserve while the rest will be divided among the same targets. We will have thirty-eight artillery pieces for each group and save the rest in case we need support."

She placed her finger against the lowest section of the wall.

"The guns are powerful enough, we just have to aim low. The railway shells carry enough explosives to reduce the stone around the impact to dust. Earthbenders cannot repair the damage if there are no large pieces left for them to move."

"I expect that once we have made a big enough hole around fifteen meters deep, the weight above it will cause the section to collapse and create a slope. We will continue firing until that collapses which would be fairly soon at that point."

One of the artillery commanders studied the figures written beside each battery. "Four railway guns can fire thirty-two shells into each target every hour."

"Indeed. The supporting artillery can add more than a thousand smaller shells per hour across the three positions without forcing the crews to overheat the barrels. The defenders will not be able to approach the damaged sections long enough to repair them even if they did bring more rock to the wall."

"I would even say with those numbers the wall would be destroyed sooner." Azula asked.

"Yes, but we have to take into consideration that visibility to adjust the aim as we continue to fire might be a challenge." Lin replied. "Every impact will throw dust and broken stone into the air. The glider scouts may have difficulty confirming whether the shells are still striking the correct point. Even with the new light signals, communication will take time. They must fly close enough to observe the wall, signal their report and return to a position where the artillery crews can see them."

The system was definitely faster than what they had so far, but it still depended on the scouts being able to see through the dust and reproduce the correct signals while controlling their gliders. Lin hoped the telegraph, or even better, a radio, would be invented fairly soon.

General Shinu looked toward the rear of the tent, in the direction of the railway guns outside.

"You are certain they can bring down something that large?"

"We tested the same shells against a mountain, General." Lin said. "The section we targeted collapsed entirely. I am confident the firepower is more than enough. It will fall within a day."

The officers were quieter now. Some remained doubtful, although none offered another objection. Lin moved three groups of markers through the planned breaches.

"Once all three sections are open, the Fourth Army will assault immediately. First the Rhinos would storm the front and middle section. The rubble would make it difficult for our tanks to advance, but Rhinos would climb the debris without issues. The rest of each group will follow. Each force will secure its entrance and then move inward. The center will advance directly while both flanks turn toward one another and begin a pincer movement."

"You intend to isolate the defenders between the breaches." Azula said.

"Yes. General Sung will have to decide which opening to reinforce while receiving reports from all three. We will give him no time to mount a strong enough defense to keep us out. Once we secure a frontline inside, the second army will move in to push through and give my soldiers a moment to prepare defenses and rest after the initial battle."

Shinu nodded. "Sounds good. I brought the Yuyan archers with me, I believe they would hold a similar position to your two companies of rifles."

"That's good, yes." Lin said. Everyone understood the plan now, it was time to storm the walls.

"Review your assignments with your officers tonight. The first railway gun will fire at sunrise. It's time to teach Ba Sing Se that they are not invincible."
​

---

The operation began with the rising sun. Lin advanced at the head of the lead battalion with Azula beside her. Behind them, the Fourth Army moved in three large groups toward the sections of the wall assigned to them.

Tanks led the central formation, followed by columns of infantry and firebenders, while the rhino cavalry remained along the flanks. Only Colonel Mongke was riding beside them, just in case they needed to change their plans.

The railway guns had been firing for more than an hour already. Their detonations could be heard across the ground at regular intervals, louder and deeper than the field artillery following behind the army.

Lin felt each discharge through the ground, followed a minute later by the distant impact against Ba Sing Se's wall. The sound was the same as she remembered from her own world and memories flooded her mind.

During her deployment, there had rarely been a time when artillery, mortars or bombs could not be heard. Sometimes distant, sometimes closer than anyone would want. Even when her unit was away from the front, the noise had continued through the day and into the night.

She had learned to sleep through it then, but now she couldn't help but shake a little bit. It was a bit embarrassing but she did her best to stay in control, calmed and collected. They had left their field artillery to prepare for their barrage as well now that they were within range and they had kept advancing at a steady pace.

The wall was clearly visible now. Movement had appeared along the wall now that they were close enough, though the growing dust cloud made it difficult to see what the defenders were doing.

The lower half of the structure had already disappeared behind a fog of dirt and dust thrown into the air by the bombardment. Only the top remained clearly visible. Lin took her telescope and observed them.

Earthbenders stood along the battlements, launching rocks high into the sky toward the gliders circling above them. Most of the projectiles fell short, while a few of them passed close enough to force the pilots to turn sharply away.

Taking a look at the gliders, one of them was heading back toward them. She pointed the telescope its way and decoded the message they were sending below them with a light lamp.

"It seems they have spotted enemy forces one kilometer ahead of us." Lin said.

Lin looked across the plain. She could see no formations between them and the wall.

"They are entrenched, otherwise we would be able to see them." Azula narrowed her eyes toward the ground ahead.

"Yes, they are probably waiting to ambush us."

"We could deal with them easily."

"Yes, but we are not sure how many there are. Let's flush them out."

Lin approached the closest tank and climbed onto its upper hull. She opened the small top hatch and lowered herself until her legs rested inside, leaving her upper body above the armor.

"Signal the tanks to advance in a spread line." she ordered. "The infantry and firebenders will follow in tight columns behind them, and get the riflemen to position themselves between us."

The orders were sent, as the messengers raised the signal flags. Azula climbed onto the tank immediately to Lin's right, taking the same position behind its upper hatch. Colonel Mongke rode forward on his rhino and stopped beside Lin's vehicle.

"My company can charge ahead and clear them out easily." he said.

"While I'm sure you would be successful, there is no need to risk your troops, colonel." Lin replied. "We do not know how close their trenches are to the range of the wall defenses. We will engage them from a distance first."

"My rhinos can cross the ground faster than the tanks."

"That would only place you ahead without support. Remain on the flank until I order otherwise."

Mongke looked toward the hidden enemy position, but nodded and returned to his company. The tanks began moving. Their tracks pressed deep paths into the earth while the columns behind them kept pace.

Lin remained standing above the hatch, scanning the ground through her telescope. For a few minutes, she saw nothing, then she finally spotted the first patch of green armor inside what looked like big squared trenches.

It had been dug too big for their forces in her opinion, but they had not encountered shrapnel yet so he couldn't blame their knowledge. More trenches appeared to either side as the formation continued forward.

"Halt the advance." Lin said.

The tank crews stopped across the line. The infantry and firebenders came to a halt behind them, waiting for the next order.

"We will fire one volley directly ahead, aim for the first green spot you see, gunner." Lin said. "Do not advance."

The tanks adjusted their cannons as the signal flags were waved again. "Fire." Lin said simply. A moment later, the entire line fired.

The shells struck the earth around the trenches, throwing dirt and stone into the air. Lin had not expected the volley to destroy the positions but some of them did. She only needed the defenders to believe that their cover had been found to flush them out but killing a few of them already was great.

Earthbenders rose from the trenches across the plain, like she expected them to. Stone platforms formed beneath their feet, carrying them forward at high speed while others launched slabs and boulders toward the tanks.

"Rifles open fire! Firebenders forward!" Lin ordered. "Engage them before they reach the line."

The two companies of riflemen opened fire between the columns and immediately dropped a few of the earthbenders.

The front ranks moved around the tanks and released streams of fire across the open ground. Several earthbenders raised walls while still moving, but the attacks forced them to slow and defend themselves.

Lin pulled her handgun from its holster and rested her arm against the edge of the hatch. The distance was long, though the approaching earthbenders gave her clear targets. She fired at one of them, striking his shoulder and throwing him from the sliding rocks.

To her right, Azula raised two fingers and lightning illuminated the battlefield, crossing the field at high speed and striking an earthbender who had been preparing to launch a large section of ground beneath one of the tanks. He collapsed before completing the movement, and the stone broke apart around him.

With the earthbenders stopped on their tracks, the tanks fired again, now with clearer targets. Their shells pierced through the advancing line, breaking the rocks apart and throwing several earthbenders to the ground. The firebenders followed, burning their way through the now disorganized unit of earthbenders.

Within a couple of minutes, they had been defeated. Some of the surviving earthbenders retreated toward the wall, using stone to carry themselves away. The rest of them were killed on the spot.

"Listen up!" Lin shouted. "We are forming a defensive line here. Take defensive positions, we will meet whatever they decide to send next."

As the men started taking defensive positions, another railway shell struck Ba Sing Se. The impacts were louder here, Lin was sure that it would bring desperation to the Earth Kingdom forces.

They would be ready for another attack. Still, the enemy's first attempt to slow their advance had achieved nothing. They were off to a good start.
​

---

The explosions had not stopped since sunrise. Major Lee felt every impact through the stone beneath his feet. The floor trembled, dust was getting everywhere, and the sound of the explosions striking the walls was deafening.

Close to where the attack was happening, orders had to be shouted directly into the ears of the soldiers beside him, and even then he could not be certain they had understood. The corridor behind the battlements had become crowded with wounded men, healers and crews carrying bodies away from the damaged sections.

Some were covered in dust until their uniforms could barely be identified. Others had been struck by fragments of stone thrown loose by the explosions. There were already more bodies than the recovery teams could manage, and the bombardment showed no sign of slowing.

Lee had spent the first hour trying to coordinate repairs. Earthbenders had raised fresh stone toward the damaged sections, only for the next shells to break their work apart and bury several of them beneath it. After that failed, they attempted to tunnel through the wall and approach the damage from within.

The first team had barely reached the outer section before an explosion collapsed the tunnel. A second group had tried from another direction and suffered the same result. The few men who returned reported that the stone near the impacts had been reduced to loose fragments and dust. There was little left for them to bend into place, and remaining there for more than a few moments meant waiting for the next explosion to strike.

Lee had ordered the repair crews farther back after the third attempt. He hated giving up ground inside the wall, but continuing would only waste more men. The Fire Nation weapons were striking the same areas repeatedly, and each impact widened the damage before the earthbenders could stabilize it.

The corridor shook violently as another explosion hit the walls. Several soldiers braced themselves against the walls while a section of the ceiling cracked and fell across the floor. Lee covered his head until the debris stopped, then forced himself upright.

He would have revenge for this. Whatever evil spirits had given the Fire Nation such weapons would be made to answer for the lives lost here. No honorable army should possess such a cruel and terrible power.

Still, that anger would not help him now. Lee took a slow breath, calming himself, even as the loud impacts shook the grounds. He needed to remain calm and decide what could still be done. He knew they still outnumbered the Fire Nation several times over. Their enemy could not be allowed to control the pace of the battle.

A soldier entered the chamber, covered in dirt and breathing heavily. Lee recognized the markings of the Terra Team on what remained of his uniform.

"Major… we had to retreat, we couldn't ambush them, they were too strong." he said. "Our team was crushed within minutes. They are using long range weapons in metal machines. We were no match. Only a handful of us returned, everyone else is dead."

'These are bad news.'

"Get to the healing room, I will inform the general." Lee said.

If the Terra Team had failed that meant that their elite force was gone. They needed a larger attack, one strong enough to reach the weapons wherever those may be. If they continued using them without resistance, there would soon be nothing left to repair.

Lee quickly left the chamber to find General Sung atop the wall. He ran his way up, the general was pacing back and forth, when Lee approached he quickly made his way to him.

"Major, any news about the ambush? We cannot see the battlefield with the amount of dust clouds that are now blocking our view from up here."

"General, the Terra Team has been utterly defeated." Lee said.

"Impossible. All of them?"

"Only a few returned, and in a bad shape at that."

"Then attacking is doomed to fail." General Sung said, and as if waiting for that same phrase, another loud impact shook the walls.

"We have to do something, if we don't figure out what is hitting our walls soon, they will collapse." Lee said.

But what could they actually do? The Fire Nation was clearly using a new technology, something they hadn't seen so far and it was completely destroying their walls. Even using their strongest telescope they couldn't see what was attacking them.

The men who had been closer and survived described hearing a whistle before the explosions hit. At first it was one big one every few minutes, then it was smaller every second. It was terrifying and the damage was mounting up.

"The evil spirit rumor was true, they are aiding the Fire Nation. We must fortify our defenses more than ever." General Sung said.

And to top it all, his general was behaving like a crying child. "General, we already did as you ordered, we are getting more stone up the wall so that we can distribute it and repair it, but we need to attack them, discover what their weapons are, and destroy them." Lee said.

"If we are not safe behind these walls, then we are not safe out there, do you want me to send more men to their death?!"

Lee wondered how on earth Sung came to have command of the entire defense of the city walls, he was totally incompetent. Sending the Terra Team had been the right idea, but now it was clear they needed a bigger force and he was just crying, scared.

"If we wait, the walls will be destroyed, General!" Lee said.

"We will keep repairing them, we have no hope of sending a bigger force, the Terra Team was our best unit." Sung said.

"General, please reconsider, too many will die at this rate and the walls may collapse." Lee implored.

"Then we find a way of strengthening the walls. Send word to the city, we need better materials and the hardest stone they can bring." Sung said.

This was the worst situation they could be in, their commanding officer was refusing to attack, refusing to see that the walls wouldn't stand forever. Lee had never seen or felt something so destructive, but even being close to where the impacts were landing was enough to shake his very bones.

He was sure that the wall wouldn't stand against such powerful explosions. Through the years, the Fire Nation had used blasting jelly against their forces to create explosions, but never before had they seen something like that.

Lee thought that if they fired those weapons towards them, they would be having even more casualties than what they already had. They needed to do something, urgently, he dreaded to think what those weapons could do if they targeted the city instead of the walls.

He gritted his teeth and saluted the general. He turned around and walked quickly away from the general. Captain Ro joined him as he walked away.

"We will do as he ordered, captain, but get as many troops as you can muster to be ready for an assault." Lee said, as soon as they were out of the general's ears.

"You will go behind his back?" Ro asked, concerned.

"We cannot stay behind our walls and do nothing, they will collapse sooner than he thinks. The holes are too big and repairing the damage is impossible with the amount of explosions happening. We need to push forward now." Lee said.

"I understand, I will get everyone ready." Ro said.

"Tell everyone we will tunnel our way out and ambush their forces."

"Yes sir!"​

 

[Juris the Tree]

Aww, that chibi art is adorable!

Thanks for the chapters!

Woe to thee, Earth Kingdom, for thou hast discovered the terror brought to bear by a realized industrial revolution!

 

[Rotceh]

Hahaha, awesome! At this rate, the entire Earth Kingdom will fall before the Gang reaches the Northern Water Kingdom. Hahaha, that will become the final battle! Hahaha

 

[Sharker117]

Going from the "deadly power couple" art at the end of chapter 38 to the "chibi gremlins" at the start of chapter 39 was great.

TFTC.

 

[Henshark]

I like the detail that the rumor that lin is an evil spirits has spiralled to the fire nation being blessed by evil spirits because they can't understand the modern weapons

 

[Lucernello]

Woe to thee, Earth Kingdom, for thou hast discovered the terror brought to bear by a realized industrial revolution!

Click to shrink...

Introduced to the hammer of civilization!

Hahaha, awesome! At this rate, the entire Earth Kingdom will fall before the Gang reaches the Northern Water Kingdom. Hahaha, that will become the final battle! Hahaha

Click to shrink...

For the Fire Nation!

Going from the "deadly power couple" art at the end of chapter 38 to the "chibi gremlins" at the start of chapter 39 was great.

Click to shrink...

I thought so as well, hilarious, hehe.

I like the detail that the rumor that lin is an evil spirits has spiralled to the fire nation being blessed by evil spirits because they can't understand the modern weapons

Click to shrink...

I mean, it would be difficult to believe something is firing metal thingies 14 kilometers away from your position and that they go so fast you cannot even see them land, and they explode on impact as well. But that is if you are a bit aware of what is happening, for them things are exploding all of a sudden, so yes... an evil spirit indeed.

 

[NightmareWarden]

"There's a thousand 'Lees'," alright. But I won't hold Lee's name against him. He's doing this to spend the lives of his men in useful ways, as well as give his district time to evacuate. If he survives long enough, he's got enough of a brain to talk about surrender with other members of the military.

Part of the reason this situation looks so hopeless? Repeated successes at cutting down infiltrators and saboteurs within the fire nation. People who would have been better suited to delivering secret information rather than turning conquered towns against the fire nation. I mean, I have some hope that Jeong Jeong or his "second successful deserter" Chey are currently trying to spread whatever information they've obtained. They're just being blackballed by Long Feng or locked down by bureacracy.

Spoiler: Prediction

There's another option though. A group who would be more palatable than Fire Nation deserters.

Hakoda's men. It has barely been discussed, but some Fire Nation ships received siege weapons. Haloda's team would have been outgunned. Their ships are more maneuverable, but weaker than the pirates' ship after all. But losing a battle doesn't always mean a complete failure. Sailors would receive less of Lin's honor-flouting words. They might let survivors swim away. Hakoda's men might have advice for handling bullet wounds too, which could be spread quickly.

It's hard to picture how Azula's assignments change after this. I suppose Ozai might lead a fleet to the northern water tribe, while Azula is stuck with administration details in the Earth Kingdom? Normally, this is where a fundamental change in the dynamic would occur. Like teaching Earthbending resistance a trick to detail moving trains, reveal something to Fire Nation soldiers that causes mass desertion and disillusionment with their leadership, or a spiritual experience which touches every human. Or an environmental complication in the form of weather, mountains that would take years to blast through for tracks, disease from handling the dead and wounded, a coal shortage, or something. Lin's forces have a lot of momentum, but they're more fragile than it appears. Fragile enough for the avatar to turn the tide?

Well... Probably not. There would need to be sufficient will among the Fire Nation civilian families imported to cause such a thing. Lin is pushing so hard because there is SOME will. Her people are fighting hard because one hundred years of war IS hurting their own people, even if the propaganda smothers it, reducing it to private conversations. Aang would need to cause a civil war in the fire nation, frankly. And defensive forces in the fire nation would need to have weakened themselves in favor of this offensive push.