Dragonfire | Mako

TWENTY-EIGHT

"I can't believe we left Kaida and Korra behind," Mako said the moment they started walking away, to the tunnel Bolin was making. Iroh leaning against him grunted in response and Mako lit a flame in his palm so they could see. Bolin didn't answer as he kept forging the tunnel but Asami did turn back with a frown.

"I know you care and you worry, Mako. We all do. We need to get to the airplanes, though. If we don't destroy them, even if our friends manage to hold back the bandits, they could shoot them from above."

Iroh let out a rather deep sigh as he looked up. "Why did you come?"

"Kaida came to Republic City asking for help. If we hadn't joined her, she would have come on her own on your grandfather's dragon," Mako informed him softly as Bolin stopped a few ways ahead, bent the earth away so he could look around and see how far they had got before he got back in the tunnel and kept moving forward.

"You look terrible, General," Asami muttered with a frown as Iroh almost slipped. Mako stabilised him with some difficulty. It seemed Iroh shared his sister's determination and stubborness, though, as he forced himself to keep going without making a sound. Mako and Asami shared a concerned look that went unnoticed.

"I can fly an airplane once we get there," he muttered as Bolin stopped to check once more. "We should destroy the airplanes, take two of them and fly over to the camp."

"General, are you sure you can fly an airplane at this condition?" Asami asked softly, her expression one of concern.

"I'll get by," he replied as he briefly looked up at her. "You, Bolin and Mako should get on an airplane and get to the camp."

"Don't you worry, General," Bolin called out in the front, "Mako, Asami and I have worked like this before. We're experts at this by now."

"Not actual experts," Asami rushed to correct him as Iroh's eyes widened. "We'll manage to cover you if you need to, though."

Bolin got his head out once more before he got back inside with a nod. "We're close. Come on, I'll help you out."

It was decided Mako would go up first. He left Iroh to Bolin and climbed out, closely followed by Asami. Last, Bolin and Iroh got out, and together they headed to the place Bolin told them the airplanes were. They found them a short while later.

There were dozens of them and the most unfortunate observation was that a few spots were vacant and in the air they could hear propellers turning, a sure sign there were some of them in the air. Bandits were around, getting ready to rise in the air.

"Let me get to one of them," Iroh murmured as they stayed hidden behind a house. Against their protests, he moved away from Bolin, standing on his own. "I'll steal one of them and get in the air. I say you do the same."

Before anyone could say a word, he had walked off. Mako, Bolin and Asami exchanged a look, and then Asami rushed after Iroh. The two brothers got out in clear sight and turned to the bandits. Without a word, Mako focused on a section of airplanes and started bending.

The moment the first flames were formed, the bandits turned to face them. Bolin was quick to raise a shield in front of him and Mako as they attacked, and they were both forced to retreat and attack when they could. Gradually, they moved behind a house for more shelter as Bolin focused on the ground beneath one of the airplanes. Hot, bubbling lava formed, and the airplane shrunk. The explosion that followed brought him to smirk as he continued, urging the lava to move to the next airplane. Mako didn't waste a second to attack the bandits aiming to take them down.

It was a few minutes later when an airplane got in the air, and Mako thought he saw Iroh driving it. He kept fighting with Bolin by his side, the brothers keeping themselves hidden. The lava was spreading and explosions followed its advance. Soon enough, due to Bolin's bending, they were gaining the upper hand as the bandits were forced to retreat further and further away from the lava. The brothers got out of their hiding place and looked around for Asami. The airplane she had picked was soon going to sink in the lava.