Fall of the White Lotus [Zutara/Taang]

44 | Awake

Music: Sons of War, Two Steps From Hell

                          Sokka looked up from the cloaked figure collapsing before him as he drew back his sword with a grunt. His eyes scanned the surroundings quickly, trying to oversee the situation. After many gruelling fights with both the insurgents and the Royal Guard, the Water Tribe warriors had now reached the Throne Room, where they were fighting to protect two of Zuko's cabinet ministers from the insurgents.

Sokka couldn't help but feel reminiscent. He remembered the last time he had been here, for Zuko's coronation ceremony. The fierce flames burning before the throne had almost completely hidden his friend from view. It had been a sight to behold.

Now with the Fire Lord's absence, the Dragon Throne was empty and the flames had died down. Once again, Sokka found himself in the Fire Nation, raising his sword against yet another Fire Nation soldier, except that he was now wielding the perfectly balanced Fire Nation sword that Zuko had gifted to him, when they'd been unable to find back his space sword in the outstretched Wulong Forest.

The precious blade had belonged to Zuko's cousin Lu Ten and it truly was a piece of art. A proud display of the Fire Nation's finest sword making skills, simple in design but for the intricate, scaled body of a ruby-eyed, golden dragon curling itself around the hilt. With General Iroh's blessing, it had become as much a part of Sokka's identity as it had been a part of Lu Ten's. As its new bearer, he had become known as the Water Prince with the Dragon Sword. The sword had a confusing effect on most of his opponents, leaving him openings in their defences to take advantage of.

As he glanced around, Sokka saw that his men were engaged in bitter combat with dark-cloaked insurgents and the ornately dressed Royal Guard soldiers.

He frowned. In their determination to protect the palace, the Royal Guard made it difficult to force back the insurgents. A little ways off, Suki was fighting off both a Royal Guard and an insurgent, her steel fans gleaming in the light of fire-balls. Sokka made a move to help her, only to see an Eastern Fleet soldier stepping in.

The alliance had stopped trying to reason with the Royal Guard and now considered them collateral damage in their quest to secure the palace. It would sure make things a lot easier, though, if they could pit three factions against the insurgents...

Sokka narrowed his eyes and took up a stance as another soldier of the Royal Guard appeared from behind an insurgent's back, the Guard's face hidden behind the threatening, skull-like mask. Just as the long sword was about to hit, he ducked, whipped himself around, and cut the mask from his opponent's helmet. It revealed a shocked face, as the man stumbled back.

"Very good. Always try to reveal your opponent's face. It's the mirror to his soul," a calm voice spoke up next to him.

Sokka looked up with a start and saw Master Piandao nod at him approvingly as he, with no apparent difficulty, fended off an attack from a cloaked insurgent.

"Master!" Sokka gasped. "I didn't expect to see you here! What..."

"Patience, Sokka. My instincts warned me I was needed in Capital City and I wasn't incorrect."

Elegantly, the sword master spun around while wielding his sword and stopped the next attacker approaching him from behind.

"Your instincts or the Order of the White Lotus?" Sokka murmured somewhat suspiciously, and he was rewarded with Piandao's trademark smile when a ball of fire was shot into the air, almost reaching the high ceiling's apex. Up there, the ball of fire formed a gigantic gull hawk, followed by a burning version of the Water Tribe symbol. For a moment, Sokka lowered his blade, amazed at the spectacular sight of his peoples' emblem arrayed in blazing fire.