Muteki launched another spear. I had raided several of the bunkers as our column of troops caught up to us.
"What is the last thing you thought you'd see in the sky?" I asked as we joined our column.
"That's pretty deep, Mogui," Muteki replied.
"Nah," I shook my head and pointed with one of the explosive spears. "Cause it's zeppelins."
"Did you just quote Hellsing Ultimate Abridged?" He asked.
"Maybe," I winked back.
"Try and find cover!" Sokka called out from a little further back up the path. "I think we're about to see some bombs."
Everyone huddled together as Toph and Muteki bent a series of large slabs of stone above us. Red, cylinder-shaped bombs dropped around our shelter, exploding and impacting the stone shields protecting the invasion forces. The slabs cracked and began to fall, but our two earthbenders shored them up with a pair of stone supports. As the zeppelins passed, the crew tentatively came out from under the stone and looked up at the monsters as they flew towards the beach.
I aimed my bow at the zeppelins, but they were already out of my reach.
"Why aren't they turning around to attack us again?" Katara asked.
"They're headed for the beach," Aang gasped. "They're going to destroy the submarines!"
"They're out of my range," Muteki groaned as he failed at launching his last explosive bolt.
"How are we all going to escape?" Sokka started to panic.
"We're not," Hakoda said.
"Then our only choice is to stand and fight," Sokka insisted. "We have the Avatar; we could still win!"
"We can win," I confirmed. "But not today."
"Yes, with the Avatar, we could still win on another day," Hakoda repeated my words. "You kids have to leave. You have to escape on Appa together."
"What?" Katara was upset. "We can't leave you behind. We won't leave anyone behind."
Amaya's image flashed across my mind. I didn't want to leave her behind either.
"You're our only chance in the long run," Hakoda grabbed his daughter's shoulders. "You and Sokka have to go with Aang somewhere safe. It's the only way to keep hope alive."
"I don't think any British fishing ships are going to come and help with operation Dynamo this time," I said.
"Unfortunately, the French have already surrendered," Muteki confirmed. He pointed at the other soldiers who were preparing to be taken captive.
"We only have room on Appa for a few people," Jin added.
"The youngest of our group should go with you," Bato ordered. "The adults will stay behind and surrender. We'll be prisoners, but we'll all survive this battle."
"I've got some experience with the Fire Nation prisons," an old earthbender said. "It's not going to be easy, but we'll get by."
"They're at the beach already!" Sokka exclaimed.
Mr Seaweed took a couple of direct blasts and fell apart as Swampy McSwampface, and his cousin ran for the hills. Our subs became scrap metal seconds after that.
I traded my bow for the war pick as Aang and the others started to climb onto Appa's saddle. The mechanist and his son shared a goodbye as Pipsqueak helped the Duke onto Appa's head.
"We'll miss you, Dad," Katara threw herself into his arms.
"We lost today," Hakoda held his children. "But we have never come so close before. We tasted victory, and that's what counts."
"Bye, Dad," Sokka said quietly. "We won't be apart for too long this time. I promise."
The family broke the embrace, and the children mounted Appa. Aang was on his knees on top of Appa's head, with Momo sitting next to him, tears flowing. Katara walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He glanced at Katara, who smiled at him. He looked away and wiped his eyes before standing up.
"Thank you all for being so brave and so strong," Aang addressed everyone. "I'm going to make this up to you. Come on, Mogui."
"How much can Appa carry?" I replied.
Sokka shared a glance with his sister before looking at the other kids in the saddle.
"Not much more," Aang replied. "And we'd be pretty slow."
"Then go," I commanded. "Mangetsu is still somewhere around here. Maybe we can escape together on foot."
"Then I'm staying too," Muteki tried to climb down, but Jin grabbed his arm.
"I should have been there with Amaya," I said. "But I wasn't. And I'm not letting Mangetsu down the same way. You go, and I'll catch up."
I turned to Hakoda. "Sir, what's our plan?"
"My men can buy the kids a few minutes if we can give the army something to hunt," Hakoda said.
"Then I can double that time," I brandished my pick. "I'm going to be focusing on the lower city in my search, but if I see any heads that aren't ours or Getsu's..."
"Mogui, please," Katara said, her eyes watering.
"Hurry up and get outta here!" I replied.
"Ohana means nobody is left behind," she said.
"No, it means family," I corrected. "And Family means no one is forgotten. Including Mangetsu and Amaya. Yip Yip!"
I ran to our defensive line and swung at the soldier in front of me. The blunt side of my war pick bent his helmet in, and he fell back. I pushed forward, Hakoda right there next to me. We were fighting with all we had.
More Fire Nation soldiers joined the fray, led by the firebenders from the palace. Men began surrendering in small pockets to the new wave of attackers. Soon, it was only the two of us left. Firebenders surrounded us, and I arced out with my blaze. It was dispelled with ease. Then their counter-attack came. Fire encircled us, engulfing us. I threw up my hands to ward it off, but above the inferno, I could hear a single noise. Katara's voice from the horizon. "NO!!!"