Chapter 22.4- And so the Dragons Danced

If there was one thing to be said about Earthbenders though, it was their fantastic stubbornness. I’d liked ten already, and even more kept coming at me as I cut a swath through their bodoies and made my way inside. I had to find Fong and end this. I doubted killing him would make tis lot surrender. They seemed to be the types to fight things out until the very last hope, but it would serve other purposes. For one, I’d noticed that they’d become much more organised after a single man, a runner came out the fortress and began to whisper orders to different groups. They still tried to keep me busy by coming after me, but it was clear that they were reallocating a significant portion of their efforts towards attacking those with me.

A brilliant strategy. It didn’t matter how strong I was, I couldn’t take a fortress on my own. Not one with competent leadership , at least. It reminded me of the fact that Fong had fought on the same battlefields as the Dragon of the West. He was familiar with strong firebenders, and he knew how to deal with us enough to at least accomplish a few of his objectives.

I leaned backwards, allowing the spike that rose up to do naught more than cut a few strands off of my fringe. I watched the hair fall to the floor with a breath while spinning around and blasting a fireball straight to the chest of the man that summoned the spike in the first place. I felt the ground around me shake as another explosion racked the fortress. Maki was going above and beyond with her orders, and even batter the explosion had opened up the fortress a fair bit. I could see a straight line path to what I was certain was the command room, but I could also see why it was unwise to even consider it.

At least a dozen guards between me and my target. A target that was indoors. Guards that were earthbenders. Situations like this one were what we called impossible in the Academy. The strategy I’’d have recommended to anyone else was patience. Patiently deal with those around and then approach the command room with a prepared team while ready to take losses. But I wasn’t anyone else. I smiled right at the crowd of guards and ran forwards, jumping right at one of the men in front of me. He lifted his hands in a frenzied block. Perfect.

I planted my foot on his crossed arms with a laugh and used him as a springboard to jump right into the exposed second floor of the building.

“Shit” I heard one man say as I landed. “He’s fucking crazy” I heard from another, and I smiled at the responses, moving in for the kill. The first man wasn’t even a speed bump as I weaved into his guard before planting an enhanced punch into his jaw that shattered it in one swoop.