Chapter 17

Five and a half hours. That's how long it took the Wolfporpoise to sail from Woncheon to Gimi Port. Unfortunately, as a Panokseon, even with all their capabilities, the Tamna Island could still get only around ten and a half knots out of the ship. It wasn't even that far to travel, a few dozen nautical miles, about the distance from Icewater Port to Cipya Harbor, the main shipbuilding town back home on Nagai Island which was just around a twentieth of Nagai Island's full length. Hell, the whole capital island of Seom Yosae was only around a fifth and a half of Nagai Island's Size! It wasn't that far to go unless you were on something like an old-fashioned, oar-powered, War Canoe. Then it might take you slightly longer, six hours or so for a fully oar-powered Canoe. The larger version with sails could do it in four.

While that was fast for an Earth Kingdom Junk, which generally topped out at nine and a half knots, Bikki was used to the steam-driven ships of the Fire Nation by now. The Dragonhawk was capable of sixteen knots, for instance, and the average ship of the small Yonbanjin Fleet could do around fourteen and a half knots, even with its less powerful engines. Even the slowest ship in the Fire Nation Naval Forces, the Caldera-class Frigates, which were cut-down conversions of the larger Szeto-class Cruisers, and thus unable to mount such powerful engines, topped out at fifteen knots. The slower pace of the Panokseons was maddening to Bikki.

Of course, the cutters of the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, such as the Tiger Seal could be almost as fast as the Yonbanjin Ships under their sail plan. With sails, a Water Tribe Cutter could do around Fourteen knots at full speed, while cranking that up to fifteen and a half knots with the aid of a water bender. Unfortunately, the Tiger Seal was being forced to match the slower pace of the Wolfporpoise in order to keep their forces together and also to conserve Deniigi's energy for battle.

The slow pace threatened to put them behind schedule if the assault against the Hayansaeg Fortress stalled out. Bikki didn't think it would. The Blasting Jelly would see to that well enough, but still, any number of issues could crop up in the middle of a battle. Bikki's pre-battle nerves weren't being helped by the slow pace of the sailing. Nor did the mists that shrouded this part of the Archipelago's waters. Apparently, the mists were something that happened thanks to the western side of Seom Yosae Island being on the Straits of Mireuk, where the cold water coming down from the Arctic finally warmed as it came south, mixing with the currents that flowed around the Earth Kingdom. It lent the majority of the trip a spooky feeling, adding to Bikki's nerves. Eventually, however, the Hayansaeg Fortress and Gimi Port heaved into sight as the ocean mists began to part as they got closer to shore.

The First sat atop a hill on a promontory looking out over the bay where Gimi Port sat. Its walls were made of white stone with black tile roofing and its towers had been shored up in a way that only Earthbending could do when turned toward fortification efforts. Instead of the normal, square, towers that were found on most fortresses, these ones were rounded. They curved in such a way that cannonballs and ballista bolts would bounce off rather than strike true, making silencing the triple-bow ballistae that sat atop them difficult without hitting the ballista directly. That was a task made difficult by the fact that a triple bow ballista could outrange the normal style of ballistae and most siege weaponry that wasn't at least powered by black powder. The hall in the center of the fort did not go up into the air like a normal keep but was dug into the ground, making the towers the standout feature which gave Hayansaeg Fortress its epithet of the White Tower Fort.

Meanwhile, Gimi Port sat alongside a bay that formed a natural harbor. While Woncheon's harbor had been crescent-like, the dip on the bay that made up the harbor of Gimi Port was much deeper, more akin to a soup bowl than a saucer. It's why Gimi Port was such a hotspot of trade, the harbor was just too good not to be, even with the extortionate series of taxes and tolls placed on the docks by Governor Song. Even now, with the Capital island of Seom Yosae under assault and two of the three ports having been taken, over two dozen ships currently sat in the harbor of Gimi Port. Beyond that, a city of one-hundred-fifty-thousand people lay stretching out along the fertile plains that lined this section of coastline, with the Governor's Walled Palace in the center of six, wide, boulevards showing a mix of red-lacquered wood, green tiles, gold facing, and white stone.

Now it was their job to take it all from the Waegu Pirates. Bikki turned to Lieutenant O-Meul as they drew closer and closer to their targets.

"Are the charges ready?" He questioned.

"They are, major. My engineers are ready to set them off if a foothold on the peninsula can be gained. My gunners should be able to suppress the ballistae in the towers long enough for that. The issue is going to be the archers on the walls." Nodded O-Meul.

Turning to Lieutenant Dal-Sam, Bikki asked, "Can your Archers handle that?"

"My archers are capable of handling a few Garrison Troops, even regularly-drilled ones. If we can get a beachhead to fire from." Intoned Dal-Sam.

"Don't worry about that. My men will get you that beach." Grunted the recently-promoted Lieutenant Nam-Jin.

"Which just leaves Suk-Jong and the Captain's Platoon to watch our backs. Are you ready, Captain?" Queried Bikki.

"I'm ready. Don't worry about us. If a push comes from the Port, we should be able to slow them down long enough for you all to reorient. Might even take out a decent chunk of them too. I'm worried about Deniigi and the Second though." Huffed Suk-Jong.

"Think they'll run?" Asked Bikki. He just got a shrug in return.

"Well, it's too late for those worries now. Signal the Tiger Seal to prepare for attack and get to your men. We have work to do." Ordered Bikki.

With that, the meeting broke up and a flurry of activity ensued. Semaphore messages were sent to Deniigi on the Tiger Seal, with an affirmative reply. Blasting Jelly charges were brought up from below decks, carefully preserved in waterproof, oilskin, pouches to avoid the moisture fouling the strange, jellified, explosive. The fuses would be fitted when onshore to avoid the slightest bit of moisture from degrading the explosive. Engineers went with the charges, loading into the assault boats alongside the platoons. The only forces that would be kept aboard the Wolfporpoise were those required for the operation of the ship and her guns. Bikki loaded into the boats the same as the platoons.

Soon enough, they were rowing hard for the beach, even as the Wolfporpoise's guns opened up behind them. . .

XXXX

Lieutenant Baekhyun was one of four officers still in Hayansaeg Fortress after Governor Song had collected troops to go with Lieutenant Zenigata east to Mokjang. Apparently, Governor Higalik had been in contact with Governor Torinaga of Woncheon, who had apparently found out that a Fire Nation Cruiser was in the area and likely planning an attack. Higalik had requested help from Governor Song and Governor Song had sent him Zenigata and around three-hundred-forty troops to bolster his forces. Of course, Governor Higalik was married to Governor Song's sister-in-law so that aid had been a foregone conclusion.

Baekhyun had thought that that would be the end of it, only the remnants of the reinforcement force had come scrambling back yesterday with just fifty men. Apparently, they'd torn right through a bunch of Mixed Militia that had been breaking into Palansaeg Yuji Fortress, only to get attacked in the flank by a contingent of troops wearing reinforced lacquered leather, with Fire-Nation Style blades and spears, and backed by at least two Firebenders, while their left flank had been hit by a bunch of heavy Earth Kingdom-style troops in brigandine and mountain scale armor wielding a mix of Dadao and Repeating Crossbows and backed by a pair of Earthbenders. It had been a massacre.

Zenigata had, apparently, deserted in the aftermath of the fighting. That was typical. Regardless, it meant that the fifty or so men who had returned had done so by fleeing overnight, leaving Mokjong and the Palansaeg Yuji Fortress to fall to the enemy. The last that Captain Hung had heard, not only had Mokjang Fallen but so had Woncheon. It was only a matter of time before the enemy attacked them here at Hayansaeg Fortress and Gimi Port.

Apparently, Commodore Shun himself had scraped together a rapid reaction force of six hundred troops from Seonan City and Geomjeong Citadel to sweep the invaders into the sea, but the Captain insisted that a full roster of troops be ready on the wall just in case the Fire Nation struck here at Hayansaeg Fortress. Baekhyun had the poor fortune of being the officer on watch on the wall when it started.

Oh, sure, Baekhyun wasn't surprised when the ships emerged out of the pre-noon mists and the crack of cannon fire echoed through the air. He was a bit more surprised that a ship like that could be so accurate, but the Fire Nation was well known for being picky with the sort of mercenaries they hired. As the cannonball sailed into tower four, arcing up into the Ballistae platform and smashing one of the three triple-bow ballistae in the tower, Baekhyun realized that these must be quality troops indeed.

"Archers at the ready!" He called out as he spotted the assault boats rowing their way toward the peninsula.

A group of fifty archers in a motley collection of Rattan, Hide, and Padded Cloth Armor wielding a mix of Bows and Crossbows leaned out over the battlements and began firing. Arrows and crossbow bolts splashed among the waves around the assault boats with only a fraction actually hitting any targets and even fewer piercing armor to wound the troops underneath. A handful of lucky bolts managed to strike something vital on a few of the enemy, including one bolt that caught an oarsman on the lead assault boat in the neck. It was still far too few, a handful of the enemy taken out of action by the time they hit the beach.

Fortunately, it seemed like the enemy had no ladders to scale the walls with, something that would surely spell the defeat of this assault. That was what Baekhyun thought before spears of ice formed out of the sea air and hurled themselves at several of his men. Half a dozen of his lightly armored troops were scythed down by the deadly projectiles before the rest took cover behind the battlements.

Baekhyun spotted the culprit easily enough. Deniigi of Bukda Neungbo had seemingly switched sides. It seemed that she'd seen which way the wind had been blowing over at Woncheon and made her play accordingly. Fortunately, there were ways of dealing with Waterbenders, even with no benders on the wall currently. Captain Hung had instituted a system of semaphore flags to coordinate with the ballistae crews in the towers almost as soon as he gained command of Hayansaeg Fortress.

"Send to Tower Two, Waterbender on the Beach, request immediate bombardment." Commanded Baekhyun.

His Semaphore Man immediately began signaling the nearest tower, which hadn't fired a shot yet and therefore had yet to suffer counter-battery fire from the enemy Ships. In the meantime, he might as well do something about the enemy coming onto the beach. He took aim with his own crossbow and fired, the bolt lancing out and striking a shouting enemy sergeant in the eye, killing him and ensuring his squad of Water Tribe Spearmen delayed getting into their shield wall formation for long enough for a few more of them to go down from potshots from his men. Then the hide shields of the Water Tribe linked together render any arrowfire moot.

Deniigi tried responding, only for Tower Two to finally begin targeting her. A trio of bolts as long as Baekhyun was tall were launched from Tower Two, forcing Deniigi on the defensive. Immediately she summoned a block of ice to deflect the bolts, but the three, solid, hits from the siege weapons shattered her defenses. The block shattered to fragments under the assault, even as Tower Three's Ballisate finished loading their next bolts.

In a just world, that would be where Deniigi paid for her treachery, impaled on a two-meter-long flying spike. Unfortunately, it was not to be, as a Firebender in Blue Lamellar launched himself into the air on a burst of flame, punching out with both hands as he poured a torrent of fire into the firing platform of Tower Two. Almost instantly, the wood and ropes that made up the Tower's ballistae caught fire, even as the Firebender failed to maintain his rocket boost and began plummeting back down to the shore in an uncontrolled fall. Baekhyun saw one of the ballistae Operators from Tower Two fall out of the tower, cloth armor aflame.

Once again, Justice was denied, as Deniigi formed a sled ramp out of ice that caught the Firebender and allowed him to turn his freefall into a controlled slide to the ground. The enemy seemed to be covering for each other. Fortunately, Baekhyun had a clear shot at the Firebender as he slid down the slide with his crossbow. He breathed out, squeezed the lever, and fired his bolt. It went arcing out for the Firebender, only for him to draw his blade and literally cut his bolt out of the air.

The Firebender hit the ground as another volley of arrows and bolts from Baekhyun's men shot out, though the heavy armor of the enemy's front ranks meant that only a few more went down. Now, however, the enemy had finished offloading their archers fully, many of whom fired back at Baekhyun's men, killing some and forcing others to duck behind the bastions. Baekhyun himself was forced to do so after a Female Archer in scale armor lined up a shot on him that would have taken him through the eye had he not dropped to the floor. As it was, her arrow missed him.

From his spot ducking down, Baekhyun hissed for his Semaphore Man to signal Tower Three to lay down a covering barrage. Unfortunately, as they stood and the Semaphore Man began to raise his flags, an arrow from a long-haired archer with painted, lacquered, leather armor struck his Semaphore Man in the throat, above the better quality, local, lacquered leather armor breastplate, killing him. A return shot from Baekyun's Crossbow was cut out of the air by a bearded Swordsman in painted lacquered leather armor with a jian before it could take the long-haired Archer in the face.

One last volley from Baekhyun's men was exchanged along with the Enemy Archers, but his men by far had the worst of the exchange. Over a dozen were cut down compared to less than half that of the enemy. Worse, Deniigi seemed to be flinging ice spears into the Ballistae Firing Platform of Tower Three. He caught a crack of splintering wood as one of her spears destroyed a Ballista and spotted another operator toppling from the platform, a foot-long shard of ice protruding from his neck.

The state of his men was so bad, that Baekhyun almost didn't spot the Firebender lining a shot up on him with his bow in time to dodge. Fortunately, he managed to turn sideways in time to turn an arrow to the throat into a graze along the side of his neck. He waited fifteen seconds to line up a good shot for a return bolt, but it was dodged by the Firebender, unfortunately.

Baekhyun turned to order his reserve archers up onto the wall to replenish his depleted ranks but stumbled as he did so. His legs suddenly locking up. As he fell to a knee, he tried pushing himself up only to find his legs had almost no strength, and now his arms felt weak, dropping his crossbow. It took him dragging himself to the battlements and climbing up to get upright once again only to be forced to drop down again to avoid a foot-long shaft of ice from Deniigi from taking his head off.

Baekhyun didn't have the strength to get up again and only now realized what must have happened. The arrow must have been poisoned. There were very few poisons that could kill this swiftly, almost none of which were found in areas where the Fire Nation held sway. There was only a single exception. Yonbanjin Surku could take effect this quickly. The type they used for war would kill a man within five minutes and render him paralyzed in one.

That must be what was happening to him now. As his sight began to fade at the one-and-a-half-minute mark, Baekhyun was distantly aware of someone calling out to shoot enemies near the base of the wall. His focus was swimming though and he couldn't concentrate on the sights and sounds of the battle, much less stand to actively direct it. Forty-five seconds later, he heard a loud roar and felt a rumbling shake as if an Earthbender had just undermined part of the walls near the gates. Fifteen seconds after that, he fell unconscious. Lieutenant Baekhyun was dead thirty seconds after that.

The Surku had killed him in three minutes. . .

XXXX

Bikki Grinned as the Blasting Jelly Charges went off, destroying a large section of wall near the single gate into the fortress. As the twin assault platoons of the First and Second Companies poured through the hole in the wall, Bikki knew they were going to win this without major casualties. They'd lost a grand total of maybe twenty killed and wounded so far, with the vast majority of those being wounded. By contrast, all fifty of the archers on the main section of the wall had been killed or wounded, including their commander, along with two of the Ballistae Towers and another twenty archery reinforcements that had rushed up the wall to try and shoot the engineers only to get buried when the charges went off underneath them.

With the fifteen men manning the gatehouse about to be butchered by Second Company's Assault Platoon, that meant that of the hundred-fifty or so troops that were in Hayansaeg Fortress, eighty-five were now, or would soon be, out of action. As Bikki rushed through the gap, however, the temperature suddenly dropped precipitously as a pillar of ice smashed through the interior wall of the gatehouse, taking another six of Second Company's Assault Platoon with it. A ramp of ice was formed through the hole made by the pillar as a wiry man with shifty eyes and a scarred face slid down it.

"Itigiaq, that's the bastard!" Growled Deniigi from Bikki's side.

"Him? He doesn't look like much." Frowned Bikki.

"He's not much to look at no, but he's tricky." Spat Deniigi.

"I can deal with tricky." Nodded Bikki.

"No! This one's mine. Besides, you need to hurry to the Sunken Hall and take on Hung." Insisted Deniigi.

"True. Don't lose. That'd be pretty embarrassing after all." Intoned Bikki.

"I don't plan to." Smirked Deniigi.

Bikki charged forward intending to pass by Itigiaq and head for the Sunken Hall. Itigiaq, not about to let that happen, tried to launch an ice spike at Bikki, only for Bikki to ignite a Flamecharge, the rocket boost of the flames propelling him forward at speeds sufficient to dodge even an ice spike from this close range. Snarling, Itigiaq began to fire a rapid series of dart-like icicles at Bikki in hopes that a pulse of rapid projectiles would succeed where a single, larger one failed. He punched out in a rapid series of swift combinations, firing darts at Bikki, only for him to practically skate forward away from the darts.

Suddenly, Itigiaq found himself having to dodge a flame arc as Bikki fired a jet of flame in front of him with a palm strike, using to momentum to spin him around into a roundhouse kick that trailed an arc of flame. Itigiaq was pushed back by the flame arc, putting up a shield of ice to block it only to suddenly find his shield folding inwards into a spike aimed at his chest. He barely managed to tumble away from the sudden attack as Bikki rushed forward out of the combat zone and toward the Sunken Hall on the boost from his Flamecharge.

Instead, Itigiaq turned and was forced to dodge a sudden spike of ice coming up from below him, leaping away and shoulder rolling up to his feet. When he stood back up from his leaping roll, he found Deniigi, having just finished an uppercutting motion to form the spike.

"You! I knew I should've had my fun with you and then slit your throat! Everyone has to sleep sometimes, after all. Looks like I'll be making up the lost time once I beat you into the ground like to stupid girl you are." Snarled Itigiaq.

"You won't get the chance!" Growled Deniigi.

"You think you can win? You must be joking!" Scoffed Itigiaq.

"I know I can win. You've got a few underhanded tricks, but I've always been stronger." Boasted Deniigi.

"Stupid and deluded I see. There's a reason that proper combat Waterbenders are all men, you know. I'm going to enjoy teaching you just how the world actually works!" Sneered Itigiaq.

"As if! Now are you gonna fight me or just run your mouth?" Demanded Deniigi.

"You stupid little girl. I've already won!" Grinned Itigiaq.

As he said this, Itigiaq stomped his foot and shot his arm out and up in a rising uppercut motion. In doing so, a spike of ice shot up at Deniigi's chest from a spot directly in front of her. Deniigi was forced to bend over backward to avoid being impaled. As she did so, she kicked out with her right leg and pulsed the chi into her foot, shattering the Ice Spike into fragments. She fell on her back, but almost immediately turned that into a backward tumble to get some space. As she got to her feet, she looked over at Itigiaq.

"Talking as a distraction to get closer for a sneak attack like that. Like I said, underhanded tricks. Now it's my turn!" Smirked Deniigi.

Then Deniigi lunged forward and raised both arms to attempt to encase Itigiaq in ice. The Misogynistic Waterbender barely avoided the attack, losing a boot in the miniature iceberg as he dodged away, but otherwise coming out of the attack unscathed. Neither of them had landed their opening shots.

Now the fight would commence in earnest. . .

XXXX 

As Bikki raced for the Sunken Hall, he was surprised to find his opponent, Hung Fei-Yan, waiting for him, gauntlets and boots of stone already affixed to his hands and feet. Around Fei-Yan was a full Guard Force of Sixty troops wearing Earth Country Brigandines and Steel Helmets, with Bows, Jian, and Quivers of Arrows. Cutting his Flamecharge, Bikki tucked himself into a forward roll to bleed off momentum, coming up to his feet just short of his opponent and taking a stance.

"You wish to duel me for the fate of the fortress, yes? Is that how you got Deniigi on your side? It's the only way I can think of that she would switch sides like that. She isn't the time to do so out of opportunism." Mused Hung Fei-Yan.

"Will you abide by the same terms if offered?" Questioned Bikki.

"I will. Even with my Guards here, you have the upper hand in terms of forces still able to fight. I'll warn you though. Even if you beat me, which isn't a given by a long shot, Governor Song has already been notified. The Gimi Immortals are already assembling, if they're not already on their way here." Cautioned Hung Fei-Yan.

"I'll deal with them after I beat you." Intoned Bikki.

"You're still far too young to do that so easily. I am Hung Fai-Yan, Captain of Hayansaeg Fortress. I will have your name before we begin." Intoned Hung Fei-Yan.

"I am Bikki of the House of Koshamain, Prince of the Yonbanjin, Major of the First Provisional Liason Battalion." Nodded Bikki, giving a bow as if this were a formal duel.

Surprisingly, Fei-Yan bowed back, if more shallowly. Arrogant, but then, Deniigi had said as much. The Hung Guard Force stepped back, making a circle around the pair of fighters as they measured each other up. For a few, long, moments, neither made so much as a single move, at least outwardly. Both Bikki and Fei-Yan were analyzing the other's stances, looking for potential hints as to each other's styles.

Then, with a shout, Fei-Yan made the first move, punching out and firing a pair of rock spikes from the knuckles of his large, rock gauntlets and forcing Bikki to leap up over the flying spikes and out of the way. Bikki flipped around at the Apex of his leap and came down with an axe kick trailing an arc of flame at Fei-Yan, who raised his large, oversized, rock gauntlets to block the flames. Bikki landed after the flames failed to pierce the stone, kicking off the gauntlets even as Fei-Yan attempted to grab his legs. Bikki landed back and away from Fei-Yan.

And the fight had begun. . .

XXXX

AN: All right, so here we see the start of the battle for Hayansaeg Fortress. There's quite a bit of worldbuilding in this chapter. I tried to work most of it in naturally as it came up, but it still seems a bit clunkier than I'd like in places. I dunno, hopefully, you guys didn't mind.

Surku is a real-life poison that the Ainu used to use in various wartime and hunting activities. It uses Aconitum as a base and is known in several Japanese Chronicles as being capable of killing 'almost instantly'. As to the distances and travel times mentioned at the start of this chapter, I have Nagai Island as being roughly the same size as Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands combined, while the Waegu Islands are closer to the Hawaiian Islands, Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa in size combined, with Seom Yosae being the same size as the Big Island of Hawaii.

Obviously, the shape of both are different, but it gives you some idea of the sizes of both in the comparison. If Bikki is used to trips around Nagai Island taking less time than this is taking him, you know that he's used to faster travel.

At any rate, the next chapter will involve the duels between Bikki and Hung Fei-Yan and Deniigi vs Itigiaq as well as the start of the Counterattack by the Gimi Immortals.

Stay tuned. . .