War is an Ugly Thing | An ATLA FanFiction

Chapter 2

Máu chảy, ruột mềm.
When the blood sheds, the heart aches

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As the battle drew to a close and the dust settled, some of my teammates began the arduous task of cleaning up the battlefield, while others tended to the wounded. I found myself sitting on a makeshift stretcher, wincing as the medic, Duy, carefully stitched up my wound.

"You're lucky it wasn't deeper," Duy muttered, his tone laced with reproach as he worked. "You should know better than to be so reckless, Jai."

I winced as his words stung, but I couldn't deny the truth in them. "I didn't mean to get stabbed," I protested weakly, earning myself a light whack on the back of the head from Duy.

"No, you idiot," he chided. "I meant you shouldn't have run back into the field like that. They could have handled it."

I sighed, feeling a pang of guilt at my impulsiveness. "I know, I know," I muttered, rubbing the back of my head where Duy had smacked me.

As Duy finished the last stitch, I winced, feeling the pull of the thread against my skin. "There," he said, tying off the knot with a practiced hand. "All done."

Before I could respond, my teammate Hien ran over, concern etched on her face. "Jai, are you alright?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," I replied, forcing a smile despite the pain. "Just a scratch."

Hien frowned, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. "A scratch? You were practically gutted out there," she said, her tone teasing but filled with genuine concern.

I chuckled weakly, feeling calmness wash over me. "Well, it'll make for a good story, won't it?" I said, earning a nod of agreement from Hien.

As Duy finished tending to my wound and moved off to attend to others, I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. The pain was still present, but now that the adrenaline of battle was wearing off, I allowed myself a moment to relax

"So, what's the status?" I asked Hien, turning to her with a curious expression.

Hien glanced around before replying, her voice lowered slightly. "The commander has asked all soldiers able to meet him at the monument at sunset," she said.

I nodded, absorbing the information before allowing a small smile to tug at the corners of my lips. "Alright, then. At least we have some time to rest before then," I replied, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.

Hien sat quietly next to me, armor free from waist up and eyes forward. Enemy bodies were transported in front of us and I scanned for any friendly uniforms being dragged from the scene.

"Duck sounds good," Hien suggested, her voice thoughtful as she glanced at me for agreement.

I shook my head and watched a fire nation soldier be heaved onto a wooden cart. "Nah, beef is definitely the way to go," I countered.

"Duck is so much more flavorful," Hien argued, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. A distant flame was drenched with a bucket of water. "It's tender and juicy, with a rich, savory taste that you just can't beat."

I nodded in acknowledgment, conceding the point. "That's true, duck does have a unique flavor profile," I agreed. "But beef offers its own advantages. It's hearty and satisfying, with a robust flavor that pairs well with a variety of dishes."

Hien's grin widened as she countered, her enthusiasm unabated. "But duck is way more versatile! You can roast it, grill it, even make a delicious stir-fry with it. Plus, it's leaner than beef, so it's healthier too."

I considered her argument for a moment and bit my tongue as I recognized familiar shiny armor being removed from a body in the field.

One.

One too many.

"Fine." I conceded with a sigh as I forced myself up with a wince. Hien was up immediately, hands outstretched warily while I batter her away. "We can have duck, you menace."

"Yes!" Her jubilant fist in the air did not mix with the ash on her face or the sweat drenched in her hair. My blood was on her hands. "And we just got a new bag of rice! Oh! Some gia do and bamboo shoots and-"

"Another victory." As the commander began his speech from atop the steps of the monument, the small army stood in formation before him, their attention unwavering. The monument of Lê Lợi, holding his sword with a couple of turtles at his feet, stood tall and imposing behind him.

The commander's voice rang out across the silent assembly, his words carrying the weight of authority and conviction.

"My fellow soldiers," he began, his tone steady and unwavering. "Today, we stand here victorious once again. We have faced adversity, we have stared down the fires of battle, and we have emerged triumphant."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the ranks, a testament to the resilience and determination of the soldiers assembled before him.

"But let us not forget the sacrifices that have been made," the commander continued, his voice tinged with solemnity. "Today, we mourn the loss of one of our own. Private Hung gave his life in service to our cause, and we honor his memory with our unwavering dedication and resolve."

"It is through our sacrifices that we ensure the safety of our loved ones back home," the commander declared, his words echoing with conviction. "Every battle won, every victory achieved, brings us one step closer to securing a future of peace and prosperity for those we hold dear."

We were ordered to attention, and without hesitation, we snapped from rest to arms at our sides. The command "ready!" rang out, and as one, we moved our hands in front of us in preparation.

"Bow," the commander instructed, his voice solemn.

In unison, we bowed in respect to Hung, our heads bowed in silent tribute to his memory. There was nothing moving around us and I was sure even the animals had joined us in silence. It was an honor to have known such a human as Hung.

"Attention!" The word rang out and our respect cut short as we jolted forward. Our commander took a moment to breathe before addressing us once more. "At my command, dismissed!"

Arms wrapped around my shoulders in an instant, but before I could react, they were quickly slapped away with barely a wince from me.

"Get off, Bao!" Hien snapped protectively, her voice tinged with concern. "She got stabbed."

Bao's expression shifted from annoyance to mild concern as he glanced at me. "Ugh, I bet Chi's team we'd get there first," he complained, his tone frustrated.

Tuan and Văn groaned in unison, shaking their heads at Bao's stubbornness.

"Come on, Bao, really?" Tuan chimed in, his exasperation evident.

"Again?!" Văn added, his frustration mirroring the sentiment.

But I couldn't help but smirk at the exchange, a spark of defiance flickering in my eyes as I challenged their assumptions.

"Your pride—Jai can't run—" Hien began, attempting to dissuade Bao, but I cut her off with a confident retort.

"Says who?" I challenged, a smirk playing at the corners of my lips.

Dismissive of Hien's attempts to dissuade, I took charge of the situation. "Come on," I said, gesturing towards the horizon. "We'll camp out tonight and make our way first thing in the morning."

"But Jai-"

"We should have enough jerky for the night." I continued and dug through my bag. My fingers wrapped around a pouch and brought it out with a smirk. "Here." I tossed the bag of rice to Văn who caught it quietly. "Cook it. We'll eat rice and jerky, sleep, then make the run at dawn."

Soon enough our stomachs were warm and our eyes were closed with the anticipation of tomorrow.