The Officer And The Princess

Chapter 8

The call to Battle stations had been nothing  more than a farce. The Navy had just began its barrage of the Coast a day earlier in an attempt to soften Water Tribe Defenses for the main assault. For hours Sung could hear the muffled boom of Explosions in the distance as the giant boulders left their catapults on the top deck. So far the water tribe had only been able to take out a ship that for one reason or another had broken off from the Pack and steamed ahead. the Tribe was able to lift it up out of the water with ease. The crew thankfully had survived with only minor casualties but there would defiantly be an inquiry by the Admiralty on the captains actions after this was over, if the captain was lucky he would just get a bump down in a pay grade if he wasn't...Stars help that man. By night fall the artillery barrage had stopped, Sung had heard from a few other officers that it had been General Iroh who had requested the Barrage ceased. They had not hidden the fact that they were frustrated by this development it was a popular notion among officers that a General who had failed to take the Earth Kingdom capital should not take part in this invasion in any capacity let alone as adviser General. Though that was a view held by many it wasn't held by all. Many of the older Soldiers and officers taking part in this invasion had served under Iroh at one point or another, a few having been with him at the Six Hindered day siege.he was respected as a commander on the same lines as Sung's own father had. A wise General had once said if you treated your troops as they were your own sons they would follow you into the depths of hell itself and many of these men would follow Iroh to hell itself.

By the Second day at dawn the Artillery barrage had begun again, and the call to battle stations had been called. Sung found himself in a large Troop deployment bay surrounded a couple of hundred other men his own men standing behind him the room had a deep silence and heavy tension hung in the air. Sung stood as still as a board as he made sure the strap holding his sword on his back, over his right shoulder would not come loose during battle. His breath was still turning to steam as it made contact with the cold air of the bay. Reaching up he tapped the side of his helmet, more out of habit than anything else like that light tapping would make sure his head didn't go flying off. He always got jittery before battle. It was strange once in battle he was fine even with all the chaos that came with it, but in those minutes or hours before he was as nervous as a child who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar, perhaps it was because of the calm before the storm that got to him. moving his hand downward Sung reached around his neck and pulled a leather strap that hung around his neck pulling a golden amulet in the shape of a sun around his neck grasping it tightly whispering to himself  "On this day of battle I pray to you honored Amaterasu, I pray that you watch over me and guide my hand, that you may guide in the path to victory, And If I may fall I pray you welcome me into your warm embrace as a fallen warrior." he repeated this prayer to himself several times even as he felt the ship slow its hydraulics hissing throughout. Letting out one last calming sigh he returned the amulet under his armor. Just then Sung felt the ship slam into something before the ships docking ramp descended letting in cold morning air as a sea of White came into view, water tribe warriors running away from the ship. "DEATH BEFORE SURRENDER!" Sung shouted throwing his hand forward beckoning his men forward. All around men let out battle cries as they charged down the ramp into battle.

Almost immediately after touching down the Water tribe had reorganized itself to meet the attackers. Sung had not time to get a bearing on his surrounding before a Water Tribe warrior, his face covered in grey war paint, a spear pointed outward started charging towards him shouting as loudly as the warriors and soldiers around them. Taking a defensive stance the young officer planted his feet firmly, or as firmly as he could in the white snow and he waited for the warrior to get closer. The warrior thrusted the spear forward and Sung countered by swiping his right hand hitting the spear by its shaft causing it to parry off course and dig itself into the snow. The last thing the Warrior saw on his shocked face was a ball of red flame leaving Sung's fist and unlike the Spear, found its mark causing the warrior to fall back limply in the snow. Taking a moment to look around he saw Red clashing with blue all around him as water and fire was thrown left and right. The sound of metal clashing with metal echoed all around him. But what topped it all off was the sound of pained Screams somewhere on the battlefield someone was crying for their mother. Even now bodies began to pile up on the ground the once white snow turning a deep crimson red.