Earth. The element of stubbornness. Ba Sing Se was no exception. We have been hammering at their walls for over 8 months now and still, their walls were holding. The men guarding this city, they were no exception either. It is amazing what fighting on the home front can do for men. Everything is at stake for them. Their homes, their livelihoods, their families. They believe that if we breach their walls, we will sack their city, leaving it only a ruin. When I arrived, of course, I asked they surrender. Judging by the fact I am still here, commanding artillery against that magnificent wall, is a pretty clear sign it did not go as planned.
Despite my soldiers fighting on a foreign land, thousands of miles from their homes, morale has never been higher. They are standing at their enemies' capitol, ready to end this night 95-year war, once and for all. But when I look at those walls, I wonder how many more years this war will last. I could stand here for the next 5 years, doing what I'm doing now, raining artillery on them, and I would be here when this became a 200-year war. I will not bring down this monstrosity of a wall out of sheer will or persistence. I cannot hope to starve the enemy out. The area alone between their 2 walls alone is nearly as large as the entire Fire Nation mainland and its entirely dedicated to greenspace and farming.
This is not a normal siege. I knew it wouldn't be when I marched my troops here. We could see the walls from the edge of the serpant's head. I ferried my men across that massive body of water, intentionally avoiding the serpant's pass. I had heard the tales. I had never seen the creature for myself, but I had an interest in it I hoped to satiate on the march back, after we took the city of course. I took 10 days just to ferry my force across. My son, Lu Ten, he continues to surprise me more and more as the days go by. He volunteered to lead an advance force across the serpant's pass to scout it out and perform reconnaissance on the landing site. I refused of course. It was called the serpant's pass for a reason, and not for the curves its mountainous path took. Rumors or not, I wouldn't take that risk with my son. He had his 24th name day outside these walls, around 7 months ago, now. I insisted we celebrate. I had talked to the men under his command. They adored him, looked up to him for inspiration that he was always willing to provide. When I suggested we celebrate to Lu Ten, he smiled, and said, we'll celebrate in the Earth King's palace after we've taken the city. "That may take years" I told him. He smiled, and said, "Then we'll just have to wait and bunch them all together." He led an attack against an Earth Kingdom outpost that was performing reconnaissance on our camp that very night. Said it was enough of a name day gift to bring all of his men back to camp alive. His battalion killed 279 Earth Kingdom soldiers, taking another 473 captives. His casualties were only at 47 injuries. All minor.
I have the unfortunate task of being his father and his commander. When he returned to camp, the former kicked in first. I sped walked towards him, looking over his body for any injuries. I know he was embarrassed. The chuckles coming from the men under his command reminded me of my other duty. I asked of the results of his mission which was when he delivered the good news of his victory. I couldn't have asked for a better son. I don't know what I did for the spirits to earn this gift. He had my sense of humor, and her mother's wits, spirits bless her. I still saw her in my dreams some nights. An arranged marriage it was, at the insistence of my lord father. I was still I young man then. Stronger, faster, and definitely lighter. It was the strange occurrence when an arranged marriage could work out so well. At least, it did in the beginning. When we tried for a child, there would be no result. It continued that way for years. I saw doctors, I consulted ancient writings on the spirits, but could find no help. When I spoke with the Fire Sages, they told me the problem was within me. Not with my body, but with my soul. They allowed me to enter the sanctuary of Avatar Roku to seek enlightenment. I thought the idea ridiculous at first, but then again, I was young, and stubborn too. Much like my nephew. At least, last time I had seen him.
I felt no change within me. I cursed the spirits, I cursed the avatar, I cursed it all. As I left, the volcano of crescent island erupted. Seeing the destruction awaiting the temple, I ordered my ship to turn around, yet mid turn, when I looked back on the island, the smoke had cleared, the lava had entered the sea, and the temple stood. I asked the other men on the ship if they had seen what I had. They had, and they were just as amazed as I was. I felt as if I had seen the wrath and power of the spirits. I returned to the island, despite seeing it was in perfect condition. With minutes left of the winter solstice, I ran inside and begged forgiveness. I saw the eyes of the long dead avatar light and was pushed out by a gush of wind out of the sanctuary, seconds before that door closed for another year.
That same night, we conceived my son. He was born of perfect health, wide eyed, crying the second he left his mother.
I saw wet spots begin to form on the paper on the desk in front of me. I looked above me, half expecting rain until remembering I was inside a tent. I wiped the tears from my eyes as I folded the paper and stuffed it nicely with the rest. Writing was something I had had no lack of in recent days.
Lu Ten had left some 4 hours ago to analyze the day's damage of artillery and located weak spots for tomorrow's bombardment. The days now were long and loud, consisting of rearranging catapults, trebuchets, scorpions, and some cannon devices with projectile bombs launched by our firebenders.
I was no fan of these cannons. They struck me as sloppy and crude. Neither though, was I fond of catapults and trebuchets, and sieges in general. There was an art to defeating an opponent that was no opponent at all, but the will of a city combined, especially one so fierce as the one I stood down now.
I walked outside my tent and was shocked at how dark the sky already was. I had forgotten that it now set sooner with the change in times we were experiencing. I saw no trace of my son, but then again, that was no surprise, the camp was large, housing over 50,000 soldiers. He could be anywhere, dining, or drinking if he would be so foolish as to do so before telling me he was back.
The artillery had ceased Fire for the moment, waiting for them to return as to avoid friendly fire. They were to resume fire by midnight should they not return, under the pretense they were dead or captured.
Just thinking about Lu Ten in such a fashion brought about an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach that I couldn't rid myself of. He's fine. He is fine. I looked up to the sky, looking for the moon. There was none. New moon. They will have a hard time finding their way back to camp. I returned to the hill on which my tent was placed. Rather than entering, I stood at the entrance. In the darkness of the new moon night, you could hardly make out the walls with the naked eye. But having experienced over 7 new moons now, you could tell it was there. The completely black horizon contrasting against the dark blue sky. It was there, we all knew it, but for some reason, we appreciated these such night where we forgot there was an attack at all. Gave the men a much-needed respite from the fighting. Maybe I would order there be no artillery tonight. Allow the men to spend a night away from the war. And not put my son in harm's way.
"Father?" I heard his voice ask from my side, as though my thoughts had formed right beside me. I turned, thinking it was my imagination, but there he was. My son. I looked quickly, expecting to see his battalion behind him. When I saw none, I rushed forward and grabbed him in a quick hug. He hugged back, and we parted.
"It's a new moon tonight. Why scout on a new moon?"
"Because, just as we cannot see them, they cannot see us. We looked at the marks our artillery left. It's as we expected. Nothing. Just surface damage. Some of our bombs didn't even explode on impact. We defused them and returned them, but you were right, we're not taking down the wall that way. We need to find another way."
"You've been closer to their wall than I have. What do you suggest?"
"I would suggest digging beneath it, but that would a slow process. When the sun rises, they would see us, and close the earth around us. We may be able to sneak 1 or 2 fireteams in the middle of the night. Have them see what they can do from the inside, but they would be entirely cut off from us with no way to update us on their status."
"I see. Is there anything else?"
"No, father. Not yet. At this point, artillery is only good for one thing, keeping them from attacking us. Did you get any words from the other attack camps? The other generals?"
"None so far. I expect their hawks to come at the end of this moon which is still weeks away."
"Very well father. If I may, might I get some rest?"
"You mean drink with your men?"
"I-well"
A slight flushed shade rose to his face. I couldn't keep it in much longer and burst out laughing. "Of course. Enjoy yourself. While you're out there, tell the artillery there will be no fire tonight. Let the men get some respite from the war. Let them sleep in, whatever they need."
"Yes father. Thank you!"
As he rushed down the hill, I yelled "Be responsible!"
"How couldn't I be?" he yelled back.
I chuckled to myself as I watched him disappear amongst the city of tents. I was the luckiest general in this world. I had the best son and the best soldiers serving under me. This war may last years, but as long as these are the men I am fighting besides, I wouldn't have it any other way.