Blazing Crystal

Taking Down the Beast

They told me not to be so rash, but I didn't listen. As I ran across the top of the shaking and jerking machine, I heard Aang shout behind me to stop. I didn't listen to him. The spiteful person before me had brought out my anger enough to make me block out all pleas from Aang. Azula grinned as I approached her, and then charged up her fingers producing sparks of blue light. I was ready for her. There was no way I was losing to her again.

As Azula shot the lightning towards me, I threw water straight at the blast. Our attacks collided, and a hot gust of air shot towards me causing me to fly back. Landing hard on the moving machine, I cringed as my body vibrated in pain. How did I end up like this?

Five hours ago, Aang and Toph were scaling us all up the wall of Ba Sing Se with Than and his family. As we ascended to the top of the barrier, we saw the massive drill in the distance trying to break a hole through the wall of the city. Ying let out a sob once we were on the flat surface of the wall, hugging her newborn baby close to her and crying, "We made it to Ba Sing Se, and we're still not safe. No one is."

I spoke up. "We have to do something!"

"And what would that be, Crys?" Sokka pointed to the Fire Nation device. "We can't fight off a strange drilly machine? It's bigger than all of us combined!"

"You know..." I began. "Yesterday you were a boat load of confidence, but now you're acting like we've already lost. Don't tell me everything you did yesterday was just to impress Suki."

Sokka's cheeks turned a shade darker. He went to argue again but was cut off.

"What are you people doing here? Civilians aren't allowed on the wall."

Looking over, we saw a man in Earth Kingdom attire walking over to us with narrowed eyes. His suspicion almost made me laugh. A bunch of kids, one man, a woman, and a baby weren't exactly intimidating in my book.

Aang stepped forward with confidence. "I'm the Avatar. Take me to whoever's in charge."

Toph beamed. "Cool! Let's go kick some Fire Nation butt."

Looking down at the drill, I narrowed my eyes. My thoughts took me back to one of my conversations with Iroh a while back. I'd been told something like this was coming. I hadn't expected it so soon though.

"So Ba Sing Se... It must be a huge city," I stated, placing another tile on the Pai Sho board.

Iroh nodded from across the table, tapping his chin in thought. Picking up a tile, he said as he placed his move down, "Yes. It's the largest city in the world. I fought many times outside of its walls. While the borders are impenetrable, I did manage to break into the city. Each section stretches for miles."

I was surprised. "How did you get into the city?"

He tapped his forehead. "I have my ways. Being able to breathe fire also has some plus sides. They don't call me Dragon of the West for nothing..." He picked up his sacred lotus tile, and went to place it in front of the tile I'd just put down. My eyes widened as he won the game once again. "Of course, if I had known the loss I would receive from the war I would've never participated."

I knew Iroh spoke of his son, and frowned. He had told me about Lu Ten's death, and I was aware it was one of the reasons he retired.

"Do... Do you think the walls of Ba Sing Se will continue to hold out against the Fire Nation?"

Iroh met my gaze. Then he let out a heavy sigh and sat back against his wooden chair. "Unfortunately I do not... I hear the Fire Nation is working on something big. It will only be a matter of time before the wall is penetrated and the city is taken."