The Lunar Warrior [ATLA FF]

Book 1: Water | 42 | Liberation III

Some had enough bad luck to fall victim to one, and it was less than pretty. They were alive though, so there's that... Yeah, no one made that mistake again.

Tonight was the night that all of that hard work would be put to the test. It was now do, or die. Each of their eyes seemed to blaze in the darkness, their expressions unreadably vacant.

Operation: Liberation. Three groups, three phases, three separate battlefields. The first was already being taken care of on the rig, and the second was happening at this moment. Every guard camp had been located, and every soldier in them accounted for thanks to the extensive information gathered by the Phantom Unit.

A select group of villagers in each town would literally raid these places. There was no need to be stealthy about it, in fact, it was better for them to attract as much attention as possible. There wasn't a need for there to be many of them, either. Only the bravest of the villagers took on this pivotal role.

One of them being Hala herself, and the mothers who'd lost their children.

"Let's go."

The guards didn't know what hit them. A torrent of stones hit their heads with scary precision. In the volley of rocks, their helmets were knocked free, revealing their enraged faces. When they turned to see who had the audacity to do such a thing, they were shocked to find a group of those weak-willed villagers.

"What the...?"

"This is for my son!" Another rock launched at them.

"My husband!" And then another, hitting their bodies.

"How dar—" Before he could even finish his sentence a fist found its way to his chin. His world spun as stars twisted and turned. He was grounded before he realized it.

"Lord Ayaan was right when he taught us where to aim."

The guard, now feeling the fear kick in, looked up after his world stopped dancing.

Demons.

He was looking at a group of fucking demons before a kick to the face ensured he saw no more.

They were like the wind, rushing over the land in silence and swiftness. Those too old to properly fight or too crippled gathered their stones in distractions. The children still left did the same, their abundant energy finally being able to be used.

It did not matter that they themselves weren't earthbenders. Those of the earth kingdom was naturally strong. They were boulders, the foundations of mountains.

Lord Ayaan trained them in the ways of incapacitation. Just as he'd done for Sokka when Zuko invaded their home all those months ago, he taught them where to hit, and how hard to hit. He drilled it into their very souls and made them practice it every night until it became ingrained in their bodies. He made sure that they made full use of their natural strength, he made them see it.

He helped them remember that there weren't the helpless slaves they'd been forced to be.

They mined those caves just as their earthbending family had. They plowed those fields and raised those animals. They trekked this land and called it their home. This was their home, and these bitches had no place here anymore.

The townspeople were in a frenzy, everything around them was pure, unadulterated chaos.

Grandparents carried their children on their backs, whooping the soldiers with sizable switches as their grandkids pulled on their hair and threw pebbles at their faces. Aunties had their purses full of stones, swinging them like an extension of their very bodies. The youth? They were feral, almost bloodthirsty as they raged across the streets of their village.