As Sung had expected the second he had gathered his forces and told them they were being deployed to the Ma'inka front they all seemed to let out one collective groan that he couldn't blame them for expressing. He had explained to them what he had learned, of Kurn being on the Island and how if they moved quickly they could cut off Ma'inkas capital and prevent Kurn from escaping like he had done so many times before. He told them that they could shorten the war by months if not years if they succeeded. This had reinvigorated them somewhat though no one could truly be excited about the prospect of going into battle again.
But being the well disciplined fighting force they were, the twelfth had worked as quickly as they could to get themselves squared away and loaded back onto the ships that would carry them into oblivion. At exactly twelve that night they had set off from the Capital, the trip had been a silent one. The soldiers using that time to get as much rest as they could before they were back to marching and fighting...and dying.
Sung usually hated to be on water craft, they were hot, cramped, and the smell of unwashed bodies just seemed to hang in the air. But after the hard fighting he had seen on Funarano he was happy to have a few days where people weren't trying to kill him. This "Phoenix Rebellion" didn't fight like Earthbenders did. Earth Kingdom armies based their military doctrine around a firm hold, much like their element. But the Phoenix Rebellion being made up of Fire Nation national their doctrine was based on aggressive, and fast movement meant to overwhelm, like a fire in a dry field that quickly grew to big and spread quickly.
This Civil War made Sung actually miss fighting Earthbenders. At least with them he knew how they would fight, but the Rebellion adapted. On Funarano they had used smaller forces to slowly Pick at Sung, and then had planned to use tanks to land the killing blow. If that so called "friend" hadn't sent a message when they did then he and most likely his entire army would be dead. Fire Nation officer's weren't to keen on taking prisoners most of the time. During the Great War the only time the Fire Nation had taken prisoners was to use them as shields in later engagements. Sung had never believed in doing that to the people he captured, then again he had once thought it was dishonorable to surrender, the only choice being honorable death in battle. Amaterasu was more than likely upset in his change in views.
But still, he kneeled on the top deck of a Fire Nation cruiser as it sailed to the Ma'inka Harbor in a fleet of five, that grew closer by the second. Facing the Sun rise he leaned forward until his nose touched the deck, uttering a wordless prayer before straightening back up. He then looked silently over the passing horizon. Hearing the rushing of the ocean as the ship cut through it. The sounds brought him at least some semblance of peace.
"You alright there General?" He heard the voice of Duru behind him. He could hear the man's boots clicking across the deck and out of his peripheral vision he watched as the man stopped and sat down beside him.
"I'm fine." Sung said, not taking his eyes off of the horizon. "Just...tired."
Duru mumbled something incoherent. "I know the feeling." Duru looked up. "Has she answered you yet?" He asked. "The Goddess you pray to I mean."
Sung shook his head. "She never does, the scripture says that she doesn't involve herself directly, only points those who believe in the right direction but...if she is then I wish she would do it more clearly. I'm tired of riddles."
"Never cared for riddles myself to be honest." Duru said. "Never been very spiritual either. My parents were, they were always praying to one spirit or another for a good harvest but in my experience, the spirits never answered. I figured if the spirits never cared about us why should we care about them?"
"You're not wrong to think that." Sung said with a sigh. "At one point I was one of Amaterasus most devoted followers, I prayed to her often, I fully believed that it was a great honor to die in her name and be elevated to the Sun Guard. But as the years past I found that anyone can die for their beliefs but it takes a certain person to find things to live for. I'm not fighting to die anymore, I'm fighting to live....Nikkō still needs me and I won't leave her if I can help it."
Duru looked at Sung. "You want my advice?" Sung looked at him and smirked already knowing the answer. "I think you're wise to believe that, far to many people are out there willing to die for one cause or another, one hundred years of bloodshed is too long, I thought that even when I was in the Earth Kingdom. When this war is over and we win it I just hope we'll finally find peace. Those of us who fought it finding a way to put the ghosts to rest."
Sung considered his words carefully, he was tired of fighting, he had been tired of fighting even when he like many had supported Ozai. But Sung figured he was more tired now than he had ever been in the Earth Kingdom, he took no joy from killing his countrymen even if they were traitors. "What are you going to do when the wars over?" Sung asked.
Duru shrugged. "Hell if I know. Maybe go back to Ember Island." He sounded unsure.
"You could always come to Sun Dao." Sung suggested. "If I had you in my court four years ago I could have sniffed out Kurns plot before it got a chance to get off the ground."
Duru smiled. "You really shouldn't blame yourself for this as much as you do. If Kurn hadn't come along it would have been someone else rattling the saber."
Sung knew Duru was probably right, almost from the second the war had ended and Zuko took the throne there had been a great many in the Fire Nation left unsatisfied with the outcome. Organizations like the New Ozai Society wouldn't have popped up if people had been satisfied. But the fact that Kurn had turned his back on House Yang and threw away its teachings made Sung look bad. He wasn't just fighting to get his own honor but the honor of his House back. "Then here's hoping we can stop this round of saber rattling." Sung said. "But regardless my offer still stands, you would be a great help on Sun Dao if you decided to come. It's not exactly the highlight of Fire Nation living but it has its charm."
Duru pondered for a few brief moments before nodding. "I'd be honored. Not like I have anything holding me anywhere, it would be nice to put root's somewhere. I expect a flashy title though. I want to be a Duke, or an Earl or something." That last bit he said in a joking manner. The two men sharing a laugh as the ships slowed, guiding into the Harbor.
*
The port of Ma'inka had changed from the last time he had been here. Civilian ships were absent from the docks, Fire Navy ships now occupied the area. Soldiers were still present however, but these Soldiers were members of Kangs Army, they patrolled the streets that had once held those that cried out for rebellion, those cries now silent. The civilians however seemed to pay little mind to them as they went about living their lives, maybe they had accepted that their short lived independence had come to an end. Or they were silently hoping that their "liberators" would come back to save them it didn't matter.
What did matter was that Sung was able to disembark his forces without suffering a casualty or harassment from the local population, the sound of their marching boots and the roar of his captured tank engines going through the streets as they marched. It wasn't hard for Sung to find General Kang's headquarters, he had taken up residence in what had once been the Domestic Forces Garrison for the city, a mid sized complex with security walls around it. The yard of the Garrison was covered in tan dirt, a metal flagpole in the center proudly holding a triangular red flag with a black flame on it. The building itself was a three story design, the stone painted a dark red color.
Signaling his forces to halt outside the gates Sung and General Mase walked onto the ground proper, both of the men receiving bows as they walked across the ground and into the building. Here officers and soldiers moved about, a literal beehive of activity. The walls were surprisingly a bright yellow color, tables placed about to give Aides and others areas to work at.
After asking a passing officer where they could find Kang they were then directed to the top floor where the Garrison commander had once held their office.
Reaching the top they were further directed to a wooden sliding door, the two men stoping and Sung knocking "Enter." A voice called from the other side.
Sung pulled open the door and was greeted to an office that looked like a hunting gallery. Around the room were taxidermy animals, some smaller ones on wooden plaques. Ducks modeled to look like they were flying, white turkey ducks modeled in the same fashion, in one corner a trio of Hog Monkeys were positioned on a large log, meant to look like they were climbing up it. what was most impressive however was in the left corner of the room. A large platypus bear it's arms over its head and its bill open stood in a aggressive stance.
From a desk in the center of the room General Kang sat, looking as if he had aged twenty years in the eight months span, his hair lad less color in it and he looked like he hadn't gotten a proper nights sleep in days, there seemed to be a lot of that going around Sung thought.
In his hands was small tin cup, steam rising off of it. Looking up from a series of papers he smiled. "General Yang, Major General Mase, welcome."
"You take up a new hobby?" Sung asked as he looked around the room.
Kangs smike turned into a frown. "The previous commander of this Garrison left all this junk behind. I'm surprised the Rebels didn't throw all of it out when they were here, I sure wished they had." Kang looked at the stuffed platypus bear and grimaced. "Nothing like seeing that monstrosity when you get to the office in the morning."
"Why haven't you thrown it out?" General Mase asked. "If you don't mind me asking."
Kang looked back at the two, taking a moment to sip his drink. "Because there are more important things to do then redecorating. At the very least if the Rebels some how get up here I have plenty of things to throw at them." He finished with a laugh.
"I suppose congratulations are in order for your breakthrough." Sung said. "Though I heard you did not do it on your own."
Kang nodded at that. "You're correct Yang, I received a Message that told me come the following morning I would be faced with a frontal assault, but that it was just a diversion to allow the rebels to attack my left flank and encircle me...I admittedly took a chance and strengthened my left more than I usually would, low and behold the attack happened just as the message said and my strengthend left was able to hold and eventually break through, doing to the rebels what they had intended to do to me." Pausing Kang took another sip of his drink before setting it down. "There have been a few skirmishes since then but we're slowly pushing towards the capital...though I've seem to hit a snag."
Sung knew from his own experiences that a "snag" as Kang called them, usually meant his enemy had dug itself in somewhere and had proven to be satisfied where it was and refused to move. "We looking at a Wan Hill type scenario?" Sung asked.
"Not that extreme thank the spirits." Kang said. "But still dire. My forces are stalled out about seventy miles from the capital, the Rebels have a series of trenches, battlements, and tank dugouts spread out across a narrow hill. Narrow but still an elevated position. My commanders in the field are understandably hesitant to push forward so the stalemate has begun again. Which is why I am going to need to borrow the tanks you captured." Kang said with a smile.
"You want my army's rations too?" Sung asked, a little more sarcastic than he had intended. He of course hadn't long gotten the tanks and his soldiers who had been in Tundras finally had vehicles to drive again, he was at least some semblance back to how his fighting strength had been before Ember Island and after the fighting he and his Soldiers had seen he felt like he had earned those tanks.
"Nothing that severe." Kang said. "With the tanks you captured I can finally move forward, If Kurn is here we are on a deadline and we need to move quickly before he attempts to flee."
Sung knew that Kang was right of course, they couldn't afford to be moving only a mile or two a day, he wasn't happy about splitting even a portion of his force but so long as the capital was surrounded it didn't matter how it was done. "Very well, I will leave the tanks in your care. While you are assaulting the earthworks what do you want me to do?"
"My scouts report that the area south east of the Capital has been left unguarded." Kang said as he pointed at his desk. Looking down Sung saw a map of Ma'inka red squares drawn on it to depict Kangs forces, a vast majority of them facing off against a series of yellow lines to mark rebel forces. "While I attack the fortified positions I want you to begin marching towards the capital to preform a flanking action."
Sung grimaced when he saw what waited on him in that direction. Mase saw it too. "That route goes right through the Jungle." Mase spoke for the two of them. Marching an army through any dense forest or jungle terrain was risky for the sole fact that an enemy force had plenty of places to hide. Many of the ambushes that Sung had taken part in during the Great War had happened in areas like that. Once one force was boxed in it was hard to fight back out.
"I'm aware." Kang said. "But as I already stated my scouts tell me the rebels have deserted that area entirely."
"More likely the rebels didn't see any value in attacking a small band of scouts and giving away their positions." Sung said.
Kang let out a long sigh. "I know...but that gap needs to be plugged just in case it isn't a trap." Well at least Kang was being honest, not that it helped Sung any. "I know I could be sending you into a grinder on this one but we are close to our goal and we can't afford to be as cautious."
Now it was Sung's turn to sigh. Everything about this stank, but their noses had been out in the cold too long, retreats and regroups were happing all across the Fire Nation but now they were finally taking back lost ground. They were closer to Kurn now then they had ever been. Sung fully believed with Kurn dead and Azula left to command the rebellion on her own it wouldn't be long before it crumbled, this was a risk but sometimes risks had to be taken to secure victory. "I will...set out immediately." Sung said.
*
That five hour march across the Ma'inka countryside was a stressful one for Sung, his worry only growing as he began to see where the road was leading him. The tall trees rising high in the sky. He had hoped to never see this Jungle again after what he, Ty Lee, and Azula had gone through to meet those accursed Fire Warriors.
The Air was oddly still as they entered, the only sound's outside of the fall of feet were bird calls, far to many to count. To Sung this was a good sign, he had learned that one of the first tell tell signs something was wrong in an area was that wildlife couldn't be heard. They had a way of knowing when danger was close and left the area if they could. With the situation as unknown as it was Sung had spaced his General Officers out throughout the formation in case their was an ambush so the twelfth entire command structure wasn't destroyed in one swoop.
General Mase hadn't been happy with Kangs decision to send them into this mess, neither was Sung even though he had agreed to it, but orders were orders. On the small chance that they weren't walking into a slaughterhouse the gap did need to be filled so the rebels didn't attempt to outflank Kangs assault on the Earthworks.
They were two miles in now, the thick canopy blocking all but a few rays of sunlight. As Sung usually did he kept looking up, old Ranger trick he had picked up and never forgotten, people out of habit rarely looking at anything that was above eye level when they walked, and above eye level is exactly where Rangers loved to hide themselves.
"You nervous?" Duru asked as he pulled his Ostrich Horse besides Sung.
"Are you?" Sung asked, countering a question he couldn't answer.
"Not really." Duru said with a shrug. "If it happens it happens, not helping anything jumping at shadows."
Duru just didn't seem fazed by anything. When they had hit the beach on Shozan he acted as if they had gone for a pleasant picnic. From what Sung could see he was one of those soldiers who had expected to die, so he didn't care what happened to him. "Must be nice to not feel anything." Sung mumbled.
Duru looked at him like a hungry spider wasp. "So you are nervous?" That annoying Smirk appearing on his face yet again. Truthfully some days Sung would like to smack that look right off his face.
"I didn't say that." Sung said.
"If it helps I'm nervous." Lieutenant Mikan said from behind them.
Sung looked back at Mikan. "How is that supposed to help?"
Mikan seemed to shrink on his saddle at that. "I...suppose it doesn't help much...sorry." He finished with a rather embarrassed laugh.
"Just admit your nervous General, ain't no shame in it." Duru said.
Sung looked at Duru now, a cocky smirk on his face. "Let's say I was hypothetically nervous...why would I tell you of all people?"
Duru shrugged. "Because I'm me that's why."
Sung opened his mouth to speak but immediately shut it when he noticed something. How quiet it had gotten. Sung immediately held a hand up and the formations came to a halt. "Do you hear that?" Sung asked no one in particular, his eyes going back to the trees. He didn't see any figures but the canopy was so thick it was hard to get his eyes to focus.
Duru had a knowing look on his face, a look that he and Sung most likely shared as he too began to look at the trees.
"I...don't hear anything." Mikan said from behind them, a confused tone in his voice. The greenhorn in him showing.
"Exactly." Duru answered as he turned his Ostrich Horse to face the formation. "ALL OF YOU, LOOK AT THE TREES!" He shouted. "DO YOU SEE ANYTHING?"
Sung could hear the shuffling of armor as soldiers moved about. Sung hoped, no he prayed his instincts were wrong. He prayed that the sudden silence had been caused by his Soldiers marching and not because someone was here waiting on them. "THERE!" Someone shouted and Sung looked back to see a Soldier pointing at a tree on the left. Almost immediately that same soldier was struck down by an arrow. Not even screaming as they fell.
"CIRCLE UP!" Sung shouted. "SHIELD WALL!" Officers began shouting commands as more and more arrows were fired from concealed positions on both sides of the trail, some hitting soldiers who fell.
The formations of soldiers began falling out of their straight lines and creating spaced out circles, the spear men kneeling and pressing their shields together as they. Pointed their spears forward. Inside these circles Sung's own archers and fire benders shot back at wherever they thought the arrows were coming from. Arrows and fire going back and forth. "KEEP THOSE LINES TIGHT!" Sung shouted as he looked back up at the trees. He still couldn't see where the bastard were at. But he knew they were all around him.
Duru Suddenly threw a fire fist right in front of Sung's face, so close that the heat burned him momentarily as it passed by. The fire going up into a tree to Sung's left and hitting a figure, that figure falling and suddenly stopping as a rope around their waist caught them. The figure however made no effort to free themselves, their arms and legs dangling as they gently swayed side to side. "T-thanks." Sung said with a gasp.
Duru nodded sternly before throwing another Fire fist at something. But Sung didn't have time to look as out the corner of his eye he saw movement on a tree limb. Without taking another second to look he turned and threw a series of orange flames at the target, two of the three hit the target and they two fell....that's when he heard it...somewhere close, a battle cry in the thicket...hundreds of voices all calling out at once. He could hear them crashing through the underbrush growing closer by the second. "PREPARE YOURSELF!" Sung shouted as he turned and rode his mount in between two of the circle formations. "ALL OF YOU GET READY!"
Something happened next that Sung never could of expected...the ground began to shake...a shaking that he had felt before. The Drill had been destroyed...Sung and one of the groups of survivors were camped out in a mangrove of trees on the first night...Earthbenders had popped out of the ground around them. "LOOK DOW-"
He couldn't even finish the sentence when all down the line dozens of men and women popped out of the ground, they wore Fire Nation armor but their pants were a dark green color...none of them wore shoes...
*
Sung couldn't even issue an order when all at once the Earthbenders stomped one foot on the ground, picking up boulders about the size of watermelons, they then threw a single fist forward and those Boulders broke apart and peppered Sung's soldiers. Many of them screaming out as they were hit, screaming as they dropped like flies. This couldn't be happening, this was all one big group hallucination. There were really Earthbenders here...the Great War was over, there was no reason for Earthbenders to be here!"
Sung didn't even have time to think as to his left out of the underbrush rebels began pouring onto the road, many of them throwing fire as they came out hitting even more of Sung's men. Panic began to set in on him now as he saw his lines begin to break and soldiers and rebels were fighting each other in one on one battles all down the road, fire and earth flying, swords clashing, men and women screaming. "GENERAL!" Duru shouted at Sung. "WHAT ARE YOUR ORDERS!"
That was a good question, what were his orders? His opinions were limited, more limited than they had been in a very long time. The only option he had...fight their way out. Sung turned his Ostrich Horse to face the melee before him. "WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Sung shouted. He then threw his fists, puffs of fire flying from his hands as quickly as he could throw them, he hit three of the Earthbenders, all falling. Other puffs of fire missed their targets or hit them in such a way that that they were injured but could still fight. "ALL OF YOU!" Sung shouted to his men, hoping that at least some of them could hear. "WE NEED TO REGROUP, FALL BAC-"
His Ostrich Horse let out a cry of pain, Sung only having time to look down to see and arrow sticking out of its left side where it's heart should be before the Animal gave out and fell Sideways, Sung hitting the ground hard, his right leg trapped. He didn't have time to register it when he heard a scream and looked to see a woman in rebel armor chasing towards him, a sword over her head. "Oh shit." Sung said rather calmly as he pushed against the dead Ostrich Horse and tried to get his leg free, but he wasn't strong enough, no matter how hard he tried he could only move the body an inch at most.
The woman was getting closer. Sung looked back at her and he was just about to throw fire at her when she was stopped by Duru. The man was on the ground now and with a swift punch he hit her in the stomach causing her to stop and let out a gasp as she leaned forward. Duru then ripped her sword away from her with one hand, kicking her feet out from under her causing her to fall. He then spun the sword around and let out a shout as he stabbed her in the stomach with her own weapon...she stopped moving after that.
Duru wasted no time running to Sung now. "That's twice I saved your hide." Duru said as he dropped to one knee beside Sung. "You owe me big time." Duru then put his hands on the dead Ostrich Horse and together the two let out screams as they lifted the literal dead weight. Together they had just enough strength to lift the animal enough to allowed Sung to shuffle out.
"I'll make you a Lord Earl for that, happy?" Sung asked as he stood up. Around the battle continued, it wasn't a stretch to say that literary hundreds of bodies were on the ground both Sung's and theirs. Looking around he could see further into the battlefield that Colonel June was waving her hands, beckoning those around her to follow. They had made a corridor that they could escape through!
But a question came to Sung's mind, where was Mikan? He had been right behind them when the ambush commenced. Sung scanned the field in a panic, only to let out a sigh of relief when he could just make out Mikan further in, he seemed to be directed a band of Soldiers to Junes escape route. Sung couldn't worry about him any more than that, he could take care of himself but Sung still had thousands trapped. "WE NEED TO MOVE!" Sung shouted to Duru, Pulling his sword from its scabbard.
Duru didn't reply and Sung turned, his heart sinking. Duru was laying on his stomach dead...another body laying beside his, the face burned. By Amaterasu's light, when had that happened? Why hadn't he heard it?! Duru was a lot of things, he was crude, he was sarcastic...but most of all he had been Sung's friend. If Duru hadn't stopped to help Sung he would still be alive, in his final act he had saved Sung a third time...and took the bastard with him. He hadn't deserved that, Duru had deserved to go out in a blaze of glory, a heroic last stand...not like this.
Sung wanted to scream out, to curse the rebels for what they had done to Duru, to curse Kang for sending them into this hell, but most of all he he wanted to curse himself for leading them into this. But he didn't have time now, the battle was still raging and they needed to get out of here, reorganize their lines before they were all destroyed.
"HELL BOUND TWELFTH!" Sung shouted, raising his sword high so those around could see. "FOLLOW ME!"
*
For what felt like hours Sung and the many few still trapped in the heaviest of the fighting hacked and slashed, stabbed, and burned their way through the rebel forces. Sungs Blade stained crimson as he yanked it free from another Rebel who fell before him. They were slowly making progress, Sung could still see June and knew he needed to reach her as quickly as possible before her opening fell apart like he knew it would. There was no winning this battle, Sung knew that but at least he could try to save the lives of some of his soldiers. "KEEP GOING!" Sung told those around him. "DON'T STOP!"
The eternity passed and Sung and a few Dozen others who had frayed the melee finally made it out. June had been able to form a battle line and was pushing back agitated the rebels, a pile of bodies laying before them. "LINE, BREAK!" June shouted and a few of her soldiers stepped aside only long enough to allow Sung and the others with him to get by. Her face was covered with blood, a gash on her forehead. "Lord Yang, thank Amaterasu you made it."
"Duru is dead." Was Sung's only replied.
June had a somber look on her face. "We can morn him later sir...but now we need you to get us out of here!"
She was right, now wasn't the time to play "should have, would have, could have," it was war and in war not everyone could be saved no matter how much Sung wished that to be so...he knew however no matter how long he lived after this he would greatly miss Duru. "How many are with us now?" Sung asked.
June shook her head. "I don't know, General Mase is somewhere back behind us making sure the escape route is still open Lieutenant Mikan is somewhere between here and there, I think the only ones still alive are here or with them!"
Sung looked back to the battle, from what he could see from here all the rebels were looking in his direction, so it was possible anyone who could still fight was here. But they couldn't just all run at the same time, they would chase them and cut them all down. "I'll stay here command the rear guard while the rest of the army makes it to Mase." Sung told June. "Once you're clear we'll make a fighting retreat to you."
June shook her head. "Sung no!" She said calling him by his name, his first name. Not his title, not his rank, just Sung. That was her way of telling him how much she disagreed with his choice to stay. "I can command the rear guard, you need to get out of here!"
Sung sighed at her. "June...I got you into this, I'm going to get you all out...please June....please." June bit her lower lip but nodded somberly, like this was the last time the two would see each other...it may just be. "If you don't see me again, tell Naomi and Nikkō that I love them very much...that they were the best things to ever happen to my life. Tell Naomi that I'm sorry that I made her life hard over the last few years."
June only nodded. "Goddess guide you Sung." She then looked to those who weren't fighting. "ALL OF YOU WITH ME!"
Sung didn't watch them leave as he turned back to face the hoard. "FOR FIRE LORD ZUKO!" He shouted at them. "HOLD THE LINE!" Behind him he could hear the foots step growing further and further away, before they were gone.
One by one his soldiers made a valiant last stand, they knew that the longer they held the further their comrades could get away. It was odd, but Sung had a sense of peace inside him...he accepted that he wasn't leaving this jungle and he was fine with it. But he wasn't going to go gently, he would take as many as the traitors with him before he fell.
*
One by one those with Sung fell, to the point where Sung pushed himself to the front and he was alone, one time...just one final time...he would let the anger take over, if it allowed him to make the rebels victory a costly one then the anger served a purpose. Sung actually threw his sword at one of the rebel, a one in a million shot that it hit him in his side, sticking there. Left, right, and front Sung threw as much fire as he could. Killing one after another in rapid succession. He used vast streams of flame to kill as many as he could at once, as he fired the stream he watched as the fire turned from a light Orange....back to its red color, he couldn't help but smile...he had gotten a part of himself back.
The red fire was a fitting way to end this heroic stand, a stand he wished that Duru was here to share with him. He only hoped that when he finally fell...Duru and all those who had fallen here on this day were close by, and they could walk together to whatever awaited them next.
Suddenly a horn blew and the rebels took a few step back from him stepping over their burned comrades, it wasn't out of fear however, he could tell that much. Sungs breath was heavy, his entire body aching, sweat pouring down him. He was at the very least grateful for a moment to catch his breath. "WHATS WRONG!" Sung shouted at them. "IM RIGHT HERE YOU BASTARDS!" Sung held his arms up In challenge. "SLAY ME."
A gap had formed in the rebel line...through that line walked Kurn...flanked by a man he hadn't seen in a very very long time. "Kowareta..." Sung said weakly. Kowareta was little more than a mad dog, in a way he had a right to be after what the Earth Kingdom had done to him...the only thing that had kept him from acting on the mad desires in his head was his father...Kowareta probably enjoyed the war more than his father had.
Neither spoke as Kurn and Kowareta strolled up. Kurn stopping to yank Sung's sword free from a dead man, holding the blade up to examine it. "Lord Yang." Kurn said as he looked about the dead. "Seems you still have the Warrior spirit in you after all, I'm impressed." Kurn spun the sword a few times as if getting a feel for it. "You and Kang had a fair try at it I must say...you wouldn't have gotten as far as you had if someone hadn't been helping you."
"I should have known this was just some elaborate trick on your part...sacrificing your own forces just to lure us out...you are without honor." Sung said, running a torn sleeve over his mouth to wipe away his sweat.
Kurn quit spinning the sword and held it out with the blade pointed down. Kowareta reaching out and taking it. "You misunderstand, I had nothing to gain by feeding you information, but the fact that you are here confirms my suspicions, there is a weed in my garden...like any good farmer I must get rid of the weed so it doesn't destroy my crop."
It had been a bit of a guess on Sung's part to assume that Kurn had been the spy, but if it hadn't been him then who? He clearly knew someone had said something. Sung supposed it didn't matter to him, he was living on borrowed time. "Enough with your riddles Kurn." Sung said. "If you're going to kill me just get it over with, I'm not afraid of you anymore, IM NOT AFRAID!" He shouted, his voice echoing off of the trees.
Kurn gave a respectful smile. "Your father would be proud to hear you say that..." out of the corner of his eye he saw Kowareta flick his wrist at Sung. In his weakened state he didn't have time to react. He felt something prick him in his thigh and he looked down to see a dart with red feathers on it protruding from his leg. Almost immediately he felt a sense a vertigo wash over him and he dropped to one knee. He felt like a ton of bricks was on his back, more and more being added to the pile. "Take him...ship..." Kurn said. Sung could barely make out the words as he dropped to his side. His breathing was slowing but it wasn't like he was suffocating, some kind of nerve agent most likely....the last thing Sung remembered before the darkness took him...were two hands grabbing his arms and dragging him off.