Chapter 46.5- And so the Dragons Danced

“So your threat is that we have to negotiate with you or we won’t be able to beat you? But if we couldn’t beat you then you wouldn’t even be here negotiating in the first place” Sokka said. I took another sip of my tea.

“What if I am just as tired of the war as you are? I have fought in this war since I was a teenager. I have fought in this war, lost friends and allies. And just when it was over, you now add the possibility of having to fight in my own homeland then I guess I’m just tired”

“How rich.” Katara scoffed.

“Now that the war has come to the Fire Nation, you’ve had enough? But you never had enough when you pillaged, burnt, and looted your way through the Earth kingdom, did you?” She said heatedly. I sighed, and took another sip.

“I have made my offer.”

“No.”

“Excuse me? I assumed the Avatar would be the one to give me an answer here” I said to the Waterbender who was beginning to get on my nerves.

“I don’t care. Your deal is ridiculous. You will surrender. A real surrender. The earth kingdom will be returned to its rightful rulers and you will thank us for not removing your head from your shoulders.” I couldn’t help it, I laughed. The audacity.

“Kuie is dead. So is Bumi. Bumi, his son, and his granddaughter are dead. Fong is dead as well. What rightful rulers? There are no rulers other than me”

“You monster” She called out.

“I’m not the monster here. I tried to negotiate with you. If you want my head, come take it.” This was a good enough place for a last stand. Aang would be near impossible to hit. The Airbender was willy like that. I would go for Jeong-Jeong first. He was the greatest threat after Aang himself. No. That had to be Katara. She was a waterbender. I’d never fought a water bending master before. She had to be the first one to go. Sokka was a non-bender, and he was no Toji. He’d die if he dared get close to me. Aang? Well I’d deal with that when it came up.

She tensed in her seat. I looked at them one after another.

“Wait. There’s no need to resort to violence. You wanted to talk. Let’s talk.” Aang said, and I nodded at him, but remained ready to be attacked at any moment.

“I have given my terms”

“That’s not enough. Zuko would never stand for that. He wants you arrested at the least”

“Tough titties for him. No deal ends up with me not at the top of the Earth Kingdom”

“I can’t do that. I have to restore balance to the world, and to do that, the Four Nations must return to being Four.”

“You woke up a decade too late for that then, Aang. May I call you Aang? I’ll call you Aang. There is no Earth Kingdom anymore. The Southern Water Tribe is a collection of hovels, no more than that. The Air Nomads are gone. Where are the four nations, Aang?” I asked, watching how each statement hit him like a bullet.

There was silence in the room at that.

“It doesn’t matter. We will rebuild and restore everything you and your people have destroyed. We will do it. You just have to surrender. You are beaten. Do this and spare the rest of your men. Only the criminals like you and Sung will be punished.” Katara said. I wondered for a second why she had mentioned Sung but then remembered that he had received a Commendation for killing a Water Tribe Chieftain. What was their dad’s name again? Aikido? Akuda? Oh, Hakoda.

“Funny that you mention Sung. You’re Hakoda’s kids aren’t you? Please do accept my condolences” I said, sporting a smirk. Katara had gotten on my nerves.

“I wish I could tell you that he died easily. Maybe even that his last words were about the two of you. But that would be a lie. He died screaming, and his last words were him crying for Sung to stop the torture and grant him the sweet release of-“ The Ice dagger came within two inches of ending my life as I moved my head sharply to the side. Turns out I wasn’t the only one preparing a quick attack.

Except that my attack, was much deadlier. Taking inspiration from Ozai, I rose from my seat with lightning between my fingers. Aang had already brought his staff to bear. Good thing he wasn’t the target. Katara, still extended from the dagger she’d throne, never got to regret her actions. Thunder boomed, lightning struck, the water bender died, and the room exploded a second later.