New Chapter guys. Powerstones please
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Southern Earth Kingdom ….
Inner Haican Stronghold .....
Sunset. .....
After many months of aiding refugees, the food supply in possession was gravely depleted.
Hence, every last morsel needed to be properly utilized to avoid waste.
At least, that's what the soldiers said.
However ..... Looking at the bowl of congee placed beside him, Luca found it difficult to stir up an appetite.
The smell emitted wasn't pleasant, it was cold and exuded a smell akin to food close to getting rotten.
'… Food? More like scraps …'. This was the food meant for refugees. And it was the food they had dished out to the civilians who had gone into the stronghold after registration.
Thinking back to the registration, Luca felt a little odd.
The questions asked were simple really. Just names, where you're from, if you had any family members, if you were a bender, and your area of experience.
Honestly, it was too easy. At least …. That was what he thought.
There were no body checks, no searching through their belongings, no asking for proof of identity.
Not so fun fact, passports existed in this medieval fantasy world. Luca, who didn't have one, was initially worried that something might happen. As a result …. Nothing.
His sword wasn't even confiscated.
'Are all military bases like this?'
It couldn't be helped. From Luca's perspective, this stronghold was severely lacking in vigilance. Worst of all, it was wartime.
It was normal to accept and care for refugees, but the fact that they didn't undergo strict checks was a bit astounding.
Weren't they scared that Fire Nation spies would infiltrate the base? With such laxity, all the Fire nation had to do was send a few hundred Firebenders disguised as refugees.
As soon as they entered the stronghold, they would use their bending to wreak havoc while reinforcements promptly followed. Storming the base in one go and capturing it completely.
Honestly, he didn't understand why the Fire Nation found it difficult to destroy this place.
Of course, this was what he thought initially. However, seeing the large number of soldiers in the stronghold, his suspicions eased slightly.
Still, something seemed ..... Off about this place. As a guy with the memories of a former Fire Nation spy, that was saying something.
'... Travelling great distances ..... Just for this?' No matter what area of expertise you filled in, there was no change in general treatment like Luca had expected. Even the two sole engineers in the batch were treated the same rotten food the other men and women were.
Apparently, it was also the food that would be given to the other refugees outside after their departure.
Thankfully, he wasn't hungry. And even if he was, he saw no need to eat this.
They had been placed in a large empty room within the stronghold after entering and left to fill their stomachs before being taken to Omashu.
That was some time ago.
At that moment, the door was pushed open. Luca turned his gaze to see several soldiers walk in and giving instructions and gestures.
'Looks like it's time to go'.
A few minutes later.....
A group of people could be seen standing in a large open area within the Haican Stronghold. Numbering more than a hundred, with the large majority being men and a certain percentage of women mixed in the group.
There were no children. Not a single one.
As far as the eye could see, Luca who was eighteen years of age was the youngest of the bunch.
They all wore different clothing, carried different expressions and were of different ages.
But currently, they all had one thing in common. They were Earth Kingdom refugees.
Rumble!
With a set of fluid movements, the man dressed in Earth Kingdom uniform used his bending on the hard floor a few meters away from them.
Rocks shifted and moved unnaturally as the upper layer of the earth was removed to reveal a secret passageway underneath it.
"This way ….".
The Earthbender didn't utter another word. Just stretched out his hand in a gesturing motion.
Luca could see several refugees without any relations take a look at each other. All carrying varying emotions and unknown thoughts as they followed instructions and walked down the passage leading to an underground tunnel.
"Please move …". The Earthbender gestured towards the underground passage as he saw Luca standing still.
".. … Of course .". He uttered with a nod, took a look around and followed the others into the passage. His mind playing back the events that took place some time ago.
....
"Wait ..... What?"
"The call was specifically for those skilled in the listed areas. Or do you plan to tell me that this little girl has such level of expertise?"
The sudden turn of events not only shocked the fat man but also those behind him.
"What the hell do you mean by that?" The fat man who was smiling foolishly a minute ago was now roaring angrily like an enraged lion.
"I mean that you are permitted to receive refuge inside the fortress. She, on the other hand, is not permitted and hence must remain out here".
"But ..... She's my daughter". The chef yelled at the top of his lungs. "My only child …".
".."
This time, the Earthbender didn't reply. Looking at the timid little girl, his heart shook for a moment. However ..... The complex expression on his face disappeared after a moment.
Without uttering another word, his stance was clearly displayed.
"Hey. …. What the hell is happening?"
"Why can't that guy go in with his daughter?"
"Are you saying our occupation only counts for one of us? What about my family?"
"Mine too. You can't be saying we should leave our family behind right?".
People from behind who saw this immediately changed their expressions. Murmurs emerged from the crowd before erupting into an uproar.
It started with the chef, then the others picked up one after another. Soon, a large amount of the crowd grew restless as people demanded to know what was happening.
Despite being a bender and the others being regular humans, the Lieutenant was inevitably flustered at such a large uproar.
"Captain ….". He turned his head to the Captain standing a distance away.
"Enough!"
The Captain stomped his foot against the floor, causing the earth to rumble under the feet of the refugees.
The scale wasn't enough to engulf all of them. Quite far from it, but don't forget that he wasn't alone.
At the edges of the open space were several Earthbenders tasked with maintaining order. They immediately cooperated with their leader and simultaneously performed similar actions, stomping the earth with their foot and sending a rumble through the floor.
With their few numbers, a dozen Earthbenders working together weren't capable of actually harming this many refugees with a single move. But that wasn't the intent to begin with as the sound of rumbling was enough.
And just as he thought, the entire crowd was quieted down at the display of bending ability.
"In this stronghold, order is paramount. Now then ….". He uttered with narrowing eyes…
"... I believe I haven't made something clear. The first call was for those with expertise in the listed skills. You all will be the first group of refugees to be transported to Omashu".
"However, note that this privilege only exists for you. It is unfortunate, but you will not be allowed to bring others with you, no matter who they are".
Worried murmurs began to break out as his words fell.
The Captain didn't care and continued calmly.
"..... This is due to the overall transport arrangements. The channel through which we can take you to Omashu is secret and restrictive. This alongside other factors make the transportation of a larger number of refugees difficult and proving beyond our capacity. Now, we can barely take more than a hundred people at a time. If more are added, our movements might be discovered by the Fire Nation".
If there was anything that could either scare or calm down Earth Kingdom refugees, depending on how it was used, it was those two words, "Fire Nation".
In this case, it was the latter.
"But …. But what about our families?"
A male voice fell into the ears of the captain. Turning his head, he saw a man among the group of the first listed.
"I'm sorry, you are?'
"Tong. My area of expertise is in architecture, and I have a wife and three children. There is no way I'm going to Omashu while leaving them here".
"There is no need to be worried. Those of you who have family members should be at ease as they will be arranged to follow in the second transport to Omashu. We will separate them from them the rest, and they will be taken into the fortress to receive food and water after you have departed to avoid any leaks. You will be able to reunite with your loved ones in at most twenty-four hours after your arrival in Omashu. Similar concerns have been raised by others before you, and there hasn't been any problems in the past few months".
Once again, Murmurs emerged in the crowd as information was passed on and disseminated quickly.
Seeing that many still weren't satisfied with the answer ...
"Of course, you can decide to leave. No one is stopping you, but be warned. The lands North are fraught with dangers. If you are found, the best-case scenario will be working hard labor for the fire nation or thrown into prison. As for the worst case ..... Well, I hope no one ever has to experience the full extent of horrors that can be unleashed on people".
The man who was worried about his family froze for a second.
The thought of wandering the land North to leave Fire Nation colonial territory alongside the Captain's words flew through his mind and sent a chill down his spine.
Why were so many people coming to Haican? Wasn't it simply to avoid the dangers they would have to experience themselves if they travelled north?
The closest refuge was Omashu, and rumors of this stronghold transporting refugees had already spread far and wide.
They were all searching for a better life, safe behind the walls of Omashu.
What would happen if he decided not to agree and instead took his family to travel to there on his own? The answer was obvious.
Captured, robbed, killed, or perhaps all of the above. If he was really unlucky, then even death would become a luxury.
Apparently, the vast majority had also realized this.
Everyone was silent.
The Earth Captain turned his attention to the vast majority.
"Once you have been screened, you will be given food, water, tickets and arranged for transportation if you desire it. Whether you want to go or not …. The choice is yours".
Those were his last words before turning around and walking into the stronghold.
"Daddy ..... are you leaving me?" The cry of a young girl fell into the ears of the chef.
"No sweetie …. I …". The fatty was caught in a dilemma.
....
The memories flashed through his mind as Luca and the refugees group walked within the underground passageway.
After the rotten food, when they first gathered at the open space, there was no sign of the fat chef among the group. Apparently, he made his decision to stick with his daughter instead of leaving her in the hands of earth kingdom soldiers and heading to Omashu by himself after the captain left.
He wasn't the only one. Several others decided to stay with their families and wait to see what happens.
Especially those single parents who had kids and the likes. But that was the minority. As there were some who choose to stay, the vast majority also choose to leave.
After all, it was either that or treading the lands to Omashu on their own. Bounty hunters, robbers, thieves, and Fire Nation soldiers could be encountered at any time.
Compared to that, it was better their families be left behind to meet with them later. The other option was too risky.
As the tunnel that it was, the surroundings were dark. The group numbering more than a hundred people moved forward through the help of torches carried by the Earth Kingdom soldiers.
There were three up front, two in the middle, and three more at the back of the group.
Time passed. No one knew how far they had walked or how long, either.
Some people in the group of weak refugees were already experiencing cramps.
"Sir …. How much longer ?" One asked in slight exasperation.
"It's a long way to Omashu....". The leading soldier uttered solemnly.
"This underground tunnel leads right under Fire Nation troops, close to the riverside. Once we get to the end, we can take a break before heading to the river. A ship will be waiting to take us across. Several units from General Fong's fortress will be on the other side, from there will be smooth sailing".
He explained exactly how they were going to get where they were going. In the underground tunnel, his words were loud enough, allowing everyone to hear.
His words successfully filled the refugees with renewed vigor as their weariness was temporarily forgotten, and they continued on their journey.
Time elapsed as the group kept on walking ... Until ….
They came to a dead end.
....
Southern Earth Kingdom. …
Inside a secluded bay .....
Rumble!
The sound of rocks moving resounded throughout the cove as inside a deep cave, a large rock wall could be seen giving way.
"Right this way ….". The leading earth kingdom soldiers stood to the sides and stretched their arms in a gesturing posture.
The evening moonlight shone into the area of the sea partly enclosed by land. A large number of refugees immediately poured out of the tunnel and walked towards the outside of the cave.
"Ahh it's finally over".
"Thank the spirits. My feet are sore".
"Are we finally here?"
" ..... We made it".
As soon as they exited the tunnel, many refugees only moved forward several feet before collapsing to the ground. Their feet aching from such a long-distance walk.
Luca stepped out of the tunnel as well, his gaze shifting upward as he quickly examined his surroundings.
Their current location was a cove. A small area of the sea partly enclosed by land. Looking upward, a round hole could be seen at the middle of the ceiling, allowing moonlight to pour into the bay.
Meanwhile, a small stone hill lay before them, obscuring their vision from what lay beyond.
"It's a cove".
What Luca could deduce, others could as well.
"A cove? That means there's water nearby".
".... That way …. Over that hedge".
According to their escorts, an earth kingdom ship would be waiting to pick them up. Following which, they would be transported to Omashu.
The fatigue accumulated from such a long journey was swept aside as younger men with more vigor began to walk up the small stone hill to see for themselves if there was a ship waiting for them on the other side.
However ...
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The sound of footsteps approaching from the distance soon fell into their ears.
At first, it was only those at the forefront, but with everyone quieting down, the noise spread.
Before they could understand what was happening. Figures could be seen appearing from the other side of the small hill.
Had their escort come so soon?
The refugees were overjoyed for a moment, Unfortunately, that joy soon turned to horror the following second as the figures on the other side of the hill made themselves visible to the refugees group.
Red uniforms with dark strikes, weapons in hand, skull shaped helmets.
The refugee's worst nightmare .....
"Fire Nation!" The suffocating silence was broken as a middle-aged man screamed at the top of his lungs while pointing at the new arrivals.
Eyes filled with fear and despair.
That seemed to awaken everyone, as the refugees who were just enjoying their departure from the tunnel immediately turned around and rushed back towards it as fast as their legs could carry them.
Luca was no exception. Unlike the others, he had barely stepped out of the cave entrance and was the first to react after spotting the appearance of fire nation soldiers.
He turned around in an attempt to go back into the tunnel created by the earth bender escorts.
However, the sight he saw when he did stunned him.
Rumble!
Under Luca's gaze, the wall of earth emerged from the ground and sealed the tunnel entrance shut firmly.
Gone was the tunnel. Now facing the refugees was a dead end.
The Earthbenders had trapped them all here.
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