CHAPTER FOUR
YAN MADE A VOW TO NEVER GET ON A FIRE NATION AIRSHIP EVER AGAIN. She found the journey boring and with no earth for her to bend, she was certain she was going insane. There wasn't much to do on the airship other than look out the window or sit around doing nothing. It would take at least two days to reach the Fire Nation at the speed the airship was going. After training for a few more weeks, the Earth Kingdom commander announced that the regiment was ready to proceed to the Fire Nation. They used a stolen airship that honestly made Yan airsick; how her fellow soldiers could deal with it, she couldn't understand.
"Please tell me we're almost there." Yan sighed heavily as she laid her head on a table in the mess hall. She was growing increasingly bored and just wanted to get off the stupid hunk of metal.
"We'll be there by this afternoon. Just be patient and keep an eye on your sword." Arnaaluk, a non-bender boy from one of the Water Tribes said, checking his sheath to make sure he had all his weapons.
Yan sighed, leaning her head against her hand. "I double-checked before we left the camp. I just want to get off this metal coffin; I feel like I'm going to lose my breakfast." she groaned as she rubbed her temples to ease her growing nausea. The Water Tribe boy quickly stood up to find another seat before he got thrown up on; that would ruin his trip and everyone else's.
. . .
After spending three days on the airship, the Earth Kingdom Army finally reached the Fire Nation. The benders and non-benders of the group got dressed in armor or stocked up on materials and weapons for the fight. Yan cracked her knuckles and got situated between a few men who stood ready for when the ramp lowered. She was both nervous and determined. She stood with the other non-bender men, ready to take back her freedom.
The airship landed at the base of the caldera and the hatch opened. The group consisting of the benders rushed out in a large group. Yan stood with her fellow non-benders as the earthbenders created a tunnel large enough for the troops to pass through. The journey didn't last long as they trekked through the tunnel and appeared on the other side of the city.
Yan wasted no time in assisting her companions as firebender soldiers blasted fire at them. With the earthbenders throwing volley upon volley of rocks to slow the firebenders down, Yan and her non-bender companions advanced forward. Things seemed to be working rather well, considering she wasn't working alone. The non-benders and benders switched positions, the benders taking out any soldiers that were up on high while the non-benders used their weapons to strike down the soldiers that weren't shooting them with fire. Before the small group knew it, they were moving closer and closer to the royal palace.
"We need more benders up here!" a man shouted as the small group struggled against a larger group of firebenders. Yan was nearly set on fire when her shirshu ― who she didn't know had followed her ― ran into the area and mowed down a few soldiers. Yan looked up at her pet with wide eyes.
"What are you doing here? I told you to go home!" she shouted, narrowly avoiding a sword that was swung in her direction. Xian growled ferociously, opening his mouth to use his tongue to paralyze the enemy. Yan pointed to the west, ordering her travel companion to run to the cliffs away from the battle. As the shirshu ran off, the group of non-benders advanced toward the palace. Yan knew that a crowned Fire Lord ruled over the Fire Nation while the rest of the troops were out fighting and stealing land. Fire Lord Ozai was practically unstoppable; no one dared to stand up against him. With his deranged daughter Azula by his side, they were untouchable. Yan had never met them and she did not want to.
The group of non-benders ― soon followed by various benders ― made it up to the Fire Nation Palace where they were met with more firebenders. The earthbender girl defended herself and her group effortlessly, nearly getting her clothing set on fire when she took her eyes off her opponent for a second. She desperately wanted to use her bending but she decided to leave it to those who had really been training; besides, others learning that she was actually a bender wasn't exactly on her schedule today.
"Niraj, Keahi, go with Tao to take out any hostiles inside." the regiment leader said to two men. The two benders exchanged looks before nodding, flanking Yan on both sides. They followed the earthbender girl up the steep steps of the Fire Nation Palace, their shoes squeaking and echoing against the porcelain floor as they ran inside. They all looked around at the long hallways, unaware of where they should go.
"You two go right and I will go left. Meet back with me once you have finished your tasks." Yan whispered. She was already making her way down the left hall before the two could protest. After sheathing her sword, she looked around before continuing; now that there were no members of her regiment around, she decided to use her bending. She walked carefully and quietly, her heart pounding in her ears. She found it odd that there weren't many soldiers or guards around but just figured that they were all outside the palace.
"Alright, it has to be around here somewhere..." Yan said to herself as she walked past doors and rooms in the massive palace. She would be lying if she said she wasn't lost.
As she turned down a hallway, she came face to face with a guard who looked around her age. The guard was noticeably shaking in fear, his form unstable; Yan could blow at him and he would fall over. He then dropped his spear and put his hands up in defense, sweat beads forming on his brow. Yan simply walked past the trembling guard, scaring him off; she chuckled when he ran away, whimpering as he hurried down the corridor to presumably hide somewhere or find a new pair of trousers to change into.
After walking through corridor after corridor, she finally came across a massive door; it had to be the Fire Lord's chambers. Two guards stationed at the door spotted her and began to shoot fire at the young earthbender girl as she tried to get through. She counterattacked their blasts of fire and paused, waiting for them to attack first. The soldiers circled her before positioning themselves on each of her blind spots in an attempt to catch her by surprise. When they simultaneously launched fire, Yan used the corridor wall to pin them both to the adjacent wall, greatly restricting their movements. While they struggled to get free, she ran to the massive doors and pushed them open.
She found herself in a large room; certainly fit for a Fire Lord. As she was admiring the room that was as large as her house, she felt the heat of fire brush past her. She snapped out of her starstruck gaze and raised her hands in defense. However, she paused when she saw someone she did not expect to see. Who was this man before her? And why did he look to be around the same age as her?
Standing in front of Yan was a teenage boy no older than her with dark hair, golden eyes, and a noticeable scar over his left eye. Fire burned in his eyes as he stared at the female intruder who he guessed was here to assassinate him. He was silently asking himself why the girl before him was dressed in men's clothing.
"You're the Fire Lord? But I thought the Fire Lord was a man... not a teenager." Yan said, her eyebrows scrunching together. Everything she heard about the Fire Lord was that he was a terrifying, menacing man who towered above all. Nowhere did it say he was a teenager! She began to have second thoughts; he was just a teenager like her. Maybe this wasn't the right thing to do.
"The man you're looking for is my father. Who are you and why are you here?" the teenage boy questioned forcefully, his golden eyes fiery with anger. She looked down at her hands, confused and at a loss for words. A million thoughts swirled through Yan's head. She couldn't do this; it wasn't right. True, she hated the Fire Nation, but there was something about this teenager that triggered something inside her.
As she continued to think over the pros and cons, she could hear shouts and running footsteps echo down the corridor. She had to hurry and make a decision. As the sounds got closer, Yan used her bending to seal the doors shut to prevent anyone from entering. She lowered her hands to show she meant no harm toward the teenage boy before her.
"I know this is going to sound crazy, but you have to come with me," she said desperately.
"You're right, that is crazy. What makes you think I can trust you? You barge in here, take out my guards, and now you expect me to trust you just like that?"
"I know you have no reason to believe me, but there is an Earth Kingdom army outside right now as we speak. They are going to come in and kill you. They want their freedom and they believe taking you out will end this war. If I really wanted to, I would've crushed you by now. I haven't, so that must be a sign to trust me, right?"
The teenage boy seemed to hesitate. He was thinking over everything. Maybe this was what he was missing from his life: adventure. He held no real power; he was just a figurehead ruler who sat on the throne while everyone else controlled how things played out, a simple prince. His father had all the power and he was tired of living in his father's shadow. Perhaps this was the right thing to do.
He slowly lowered his hands before ultimately nodding.
The sounds of voices grew closer and louder. "There is a secret pathway that can get us out of the palace. If you so much as try to fight me, I will kill you," he said. Yan nodded and followed the prince to the other side of the room. She removed the armor she had been forced to wear; all the non-bender men wore distinct armor that differentiated them from the other fighters. The only piece of armor she couldn't remove was a belt around her waist that held the armor against her hips. She was dressed in a long-sleeved olive green robe with an off-white undershirt that had to be stained with dirt and sweat. Her dusty white trousers had seen better days and her boots were starting to squish her soles uncomfortably; she had to stuff extra fabric into her boots so she could fit her feet in them since they were a large size.
The teenage prince neared a red lantern that hung on the wall that looked out of place. He grabbed onto it and turned it to the side to reveal a door with a narrow tunnel. He slipped inside and waited for Yan to follow. She hesitantly followed him, nearly jumping when the door slammed shut behind her.
"Why are you helping me?" he asked quietly. He was still hesitant to trust her.
"Helping you?" she questioned as she peered down the narrow tunnel. She could almost feel the earth around her as the tunnel seemed to stretch on forever. Lanterns lit themselves and illuminated the dark space for the pair to walk without tripping. "I don't know. There's something about you that just made me want to help."
The prince nodded as he and Yan walked down the tunnel. He wasn't sure if he believed her just yet. It seemed like she was genuine, but one could never be sure.
"I can block off the tunnel exit in case anyone finds the entrance," Yan said to break the awkward silence that hung in the air. She finally got a good look at the prince of the Fire Nation in the dim light; he was dressed in regal, fancy clothing far fancier than hers. He was the complete opposite of her, especially since he was the Crown Prince and she was just a regular girl from Ba Sing Se; a nobody compared to any royal family.
"This should lead us to the outskirts of the city. You can call me Zuko. No need for any formalities." he held his palm out and provided a small flame to light up the space better.
"Zuko?" Yan said slowly as his name rolled off her tongue; he sure was from the Fire Nation with a name like that. "Pleasure to meet you. I am Yan Qiang." She spotted the small flame in his hand. Firebenders usually made her uneasy since they were known to be destructive and dangerous, but she calmed her rising anxiety.
"Haven't you heard of me?" he asked when she said his name slowly as if she didn't recognize it. He didn't want to sound narcissistic, but everyone knew his name in the Fire Nation. Most of the Earth Kingdom at least heard of the banished prince who remarkably avenged his honor. "Why are you with these Earth Kingdom rebels anyway? I thought women were forbidden from fighting."
"I'm surprised you know I am a girl," she commented as he noticed right away that she was not a man.
"It's not very hard to notice. You fight and move in a more graceful way that most men can't do. Did the army not know? They must be incredibly stupid to not notice it; how hard is it to spot that you are clearly a girl with short hair? Why are you with them?" he asked again as he looked back at her.
"We are just trying to regain our freedom. I'm positive you've heard of the Siege of Ba Sing Se when Princess Azula took control of the city. Since then, no one has had rights or freedom. We aren't even allowed to bend. We are forced to abide by rules and regulations. I joined the army because my father was in no condition to fight; he suffers from chronic pain and he would've easily been killed. Although he was considering fighting, my parents both think everything is okay, but I know it isn't. I wanted to fight against the abuse we have been facing for years. I don't think you understand how much the Fire Nation has done."
Zuko listened to her explanation and was shocked by her words. "How dare you insult the Fire Nation? Our nation conquered the world to share our prosperity with the four Nations! We've helped your nation grow and improve. You should be grateful." Zuko said coldly through gritted teeth. Once they reached the end of the tunnel, they stopped in front of a metal door with the Fire Nation insignia on it. Zuko pressed his palm against the cold metal, the fire spreading and causing the door to open and lead to the exit.
"Helped our nation grow? By keeping us locked in like cattle? The soldiers in Ba Sing Se wouldn't even allow my mother to get the proper medicine to save my brother's life. People have been suffering and dying all over the world. Your father and sister have murdered innocent people who don't follow their regime. Do not stand there and tell me the Fire Nation has done well for us while you sit up here in your fancy palace while the rest of us suffer."
Zuko certainly was surprised that the earthbender girl spoke out against him so willingly. He did not argue or even try to. He never knew the true horrors of the Fire Nation; no one ever kept him in the loop when it came to military tactics.
"We should continue on foot," he said quietly. Yan nodded and followed him out of the tunnel.
She blocked the tunnel exit with a few sizable boulders, spotting the fire and smoke from the city blowing in the wind. "Life was so different back then." She truly did miss the days when everyone had genuine smiles on their faces and weren't cowering whenever a Fire Nation soldier passed by.
"Is it that bad? I thought the Fire Nation was colonizing for the better."
"I don't know all the details but I don't think they are colonizing to help us. They will sometimes round up benders and take them to specially designed prisons. I think they are taken to slave camps and are forced to do hard labor but I could be wrong."
The two teenagers walked in silence, hoping to find some shelter to rest for the night. Zuko was quiet; he never knew his nation was so brutal and cruel. Surely there was an alternate reason for why they would be enslaving benders. He had learned in past lessons that the Fire Nation colonized for the betterment of everyone; was it all just a lie?
Yan stopped when she heard the sound of distant running. She turned around just in time when a fireball came flying in her direction. Before she could defend herself, she was shoved out of the way by Zuko. He expertly bent the fire away, looking out into the distance. In the not-so-far distance was a large group of Fire Nation soldiers that were heading in their direction. The soldiers were loyal to Azula and followed her orders; they were garbed in red armor that differentiated them from the soldiers who protected Zuko. Despite being the commander of all the armies, Azula still wanted Zuko dead; she craved the throne.
Yan scrambled to her feet, Zuko grabbing her wrist and running. He would bend the fire away from the earthbender girl every time the flames got too close.
"Do you think we should stop and fight them?" Zuko shouted, coming to a stop.
Yan panted and looked behind her shoulder. "We can try but we can't take them all!" she shouted back at him as she tried to regain her breath.
She turned to the iron-clad soldiers and bent a wall of earth. She pushed the earth wall towards the soldiers in an attempt to slow them down; they seemed to be coming from all directions and managed to separate Zuko from Yan. Four soldiers surrounded the earthbender girl, all holding weapons. She waited for their first move; she was grateful that the outskirts of the Fire Nation were full of cliffs and rocks.
As she fought, two soldiers ran at her with spears and managed to pierce the sides of her green robe. As they ran forward, dragging her along, Yan lost her footing and stumbled into a muddy puddle. Two more soldiers with spears came and pinned the legs of her trousers down. She was defenseless on her knees, holding a spearhead away from her neck. She stayed completely still, her heart pounding loudly in her ears.
As she closed her eyes and prepared for the worst, the spears suddenly dropped and the soldiers splashed in the muddy puddle. Yan opened her eyes and saw the four soldiers lying in the mud, unconscious. She yanked the spears out of her clothing and looked up to see Zuko standing before her. His hands were in fists with steam rising from them.
"Get up, there are more coming," he said abruptly. Yan stood up on shaky legs and the two teenagers continued to run. They ignored the shouts and calls behind them, not daring to look back. They ran and ran, not even caring that their lungs were screaming for a rest. Finally, the two teens stopped at the cliff's edge. Yan looked at Zuko then back at the raging water below. Who knew how far the drop was? She grew dizzy at the sight of the churning water that splashed against the cliffs.
"There they are! By the cliff! Retrieve Prince Zuko and arrest the Earth Kingdom soldier!" a soldier shouted. Zuko looked behind his shoulder, his golden eyes widening.
"We don't have any other choice! We have to jump." Yan said shakily, her palms sweating. Zuko gulped and nodded. The two benders took several steps back, their minds a swirling mess; they had to do it. Yan would be killed if they didn't and Zuko would be forced back onto the throne he didn't want. They gripped onto each other's hands tightly before sprinting to the edge.
The Fire Nation soldiers watched in shock as the young Earth Kingdom soldier ― whom they didn't even know was actually a girl ― and prince leaped off the cliff's edge to the raging waters down below. They looked over the edge, seeing the splash from where their targets landed in the water.