𝑭𝑳𝑨𝑴𝑬𝑺 || 𝑨𝒂𝒏𝒈 (𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 3)

The Invasion

Today was perhaps the most important day of their lives. This wasn't just another battle against Fire Nation soldiers who were trying to take them down. This was the battle to end a war that had raged on for a hundred years. It was the battle to defeat the Fire Nation once and for all. To put an end to all the terror and suffering which had been felt over the past century.

Crouching around the map alongside Sokka, Shiro, and Bato, Jade tried her best to act like she was thinking whatever it was that they were all thinking. Battle strategy, after all, was not her strong suit; she was much better with impulsive fighting where she had to think quickly.

Across from her, Sokka looked up. And when he lit up, she looked over her shoulder to follow his gaze. "Dad! You're on your feet again!"

Limping towards them with Katara's support was indeed Hakoda. Still not completely healed, Hakoda was still gripping his injured side. Jade and Toph followed Sokka as he ran up to his sister and father.

"Thanks to your sister." Katara helped him to sit down. "I'm in no shape to fight but maybe there's some way I can help."

"Everything's going smoothly and the eclipse hasn't even kicked in yet." Sokka replied.

"Let's hope our luck holds out." When Katara stepped forward, Hakoda glanced up at her. "Katara, you seem distracted. Is something wrong?"

Her gaze was fixed on the sky. Her brows furrowed. "Yeah...Is that...Is that Aang?"

Jade turned quickly, blurting out a "What?" at the same time as Sokka. Flying away from the palace city surrounded by mountains, Aang was on his glider, dodging fireballs in the sky. He landed in front of them, and judging by the expression on his face, Jade had to guess that things hadn't gone according to plan.

Sokka frowned weakly. "Please tell me you're here because the Fire Lord turned out to be a big wimp and you didn't even need the eclipse to take him down."

Aang crouched down, prompting Katara, Toph, and Jade to do the same around him "He wasn't home. No one was; the entire palace city is abandoned."

"What?" Jade blinked.

Sokka froze. "...They knew."

Aang lowered his head. "It's over. The Fire Lord is probably long gone. Far away on some remote island where he'll be safe during the eclipse."

"No..." Sokka glanced down in thought. "My instincts tell me he wouldn't go too far. He would have a secret bunker; somewhere he could go and be safe during a siege, but still be close enough to lead his nation."

"And it's most likely somewhere close to the palace city." Jade nodded. "If we can find it before the eclipse ends, then it might not be over after all."

"If it's an underground secret bunker we're looking for, I'm just the girl to find it." Toph grinned.

Sokka pulled out a small hexagon-shaped device. "The Mechanist gave me this timing device. It looks like we've got about 10 minutes until the full eclipse. 10 minutes to find the Fire Lord."

"We can still do this." Aang smiled. "We can still win the day."

But Katara frowned. "Wait, if they knew we were coming, it could all be a trap. Maybe we should use the time we have left to make sure all of us get out of here safely."

Hakoda sat up the best he could. "Everyone who's here today came prepared to risk everything for this mission. They know what's at stake."

"He's right!" Not too far away, Shiro launched a boulder at a Fire Nation tank before turning to the group. "Apologies for my eavesdropping. But seriously, as long there's still a chance that we didn't come here for nothing, we're all gonna keep fighting. You should go for it, Aang."