After the disaster with the Defiant 11th, returning to Chenbao was easy enough to do for the paltry remains of Tan-Hwa's army. With the city besieged, the old general had to resort to requisitioning fishing boats from a riverside village to float downstream in the middle of the night. It was far from the proud return Tan-Hwa had imagined when he had first set out, but considering the failure to harry and deflect enemy reinforcements (to say nothing of Wenli's transgression), the humiliation was, in his mind, well deserved.
Wenli's pitiful state garnered nothing but disgust once tales spread about how he earned it. The sympathy and anguish from his brother, Duke Li, had turned into pale-faced horror. His court had rightfully sought to cleanse the taint of association by calling for Wenli's execution, or simply handing him over to the Fire Nation besiegers to do as they saw fit.
But Duke Li was ever a gentle man, and one who treasured his only living family.
So instead, the duke had his brother kept in a secluded corner of his estate. The least favored servants were assigned to care for him, with the barest of resources expended to meet familial obligations and avoid displeasing his vassals further.
Tan-Hwa was glad that Wenli had no family of his own; such dishonor tended to haunt such innocents for too long a time.
Everyone quickly moved on from that ugly episode within a couple of days, and Wenli's name was then promptly forgotten and unmentioned by all. General Tan-Hwa easily accepted the state of things, as he had more pressing concerns to tend to.
He was busy fine-tuning the details of Chenbao's defenses with the remaining commanders when reports came of a Fire Nation messenger standing before Chenbao's gates, requesting an audience with the duke. With the shadow of the false surrender still hanging over everyone's heads, the messenger was quickly ushered in under heavy guard.
Ominously, the messenger was a soldier from the 11th, distinct with her veiled helmet and thick brigandine. The rumors about Tan-Hwa's and Wenli's defeat had given the lone woman an aura of dread that caused everyone in court to keep as close to the walls as they politely could.
"Tomorrow evening, a formal Agni Kai will take place, to settle a matter of honor between General Meng of the Northern Army and Colonel Xing of the 11th Regiment, on behalf of Princess Azula."
Mutters immediately broke out, with even Duke Li turning to his closest advisors.
Princess? Tan-Hwa's memories flashed back to an imperious looking girl in the 11th's camp, out of place amongst the savage killers.
That was the Fire Lord's daughter? He'd thought her a noble's daughter, maybe the sister of the Young Dragon.
And an Agni Kai. It'd mean a grave matter of honor, if the general remembered correctly. But was it important enough to send a messenger over?
"With the approval of her royal highness, Colonel Xing has extended an invitation to the honorable defenders of Chenbao to serve as impartial witness to the duel. All courtesies will be extended to those accepting the invitation, and no harm will befall the guests."
That was a lot to unpack there.
The messenger's voice took on a lighter, more amused tone. "Regardless of whether the invitation is accepted or not, the Northern Army will stand down to a ceasefire for tomorrow evening, to allow the duel to take place without distractions. We hope Chenbao will also observe the ceasefire, and allow the resolution of honor to proceed uninterrupted."
A chill ran down Tan-Hwa's spine, and he immediately looked to his duke. The confused and terrified ruler met his gaze, and gave a nod to allow the general to speak.
"We are grateful for the message," Tan-Hwa said as politely as he could, remembering the monsters he was dealing with. "If you do not mind, the duke and his court would like to discuss the invitation before providing an answer."
As the messenger waited outside, the court almost descended into confusion. Some were on the verge of panicking, others were calling for the need to exploit this turn of events.
Tan-Hwa served as a solid anchor to calm the former, while ignoring the latter. He alone in the hall knew what the Scorpion could do, would do, if his murder ritual was interrupted. Or if someone dared to harm the princess, if that truly was the princess.
No. The defense of Chenbao hinged on the hope that the young colonel of the 11th would be kept at bay by outsmarting and outlasting him. Having gone through past records about the 11th, it was a theme that they stuck to even under the venerable Colonel Lidai. From the little interaction Tan-Hwa had, he prayed that the boy's sadistic streak was truly kept in check by the shackles of protocol and courtesy.
Chenbao did not need to fully defeat the assailants, only to persuade them that their siege was untenable. However much of a monster he was, the Scorpion was only one boy, the 11th only one regiment amongst many. Tan-Hwa had to just work around them, and figure out how to defeat the rest of the Fire Nation army. Defeat the enemy general, force them to declare defeat and withdraw, and the 11th would follow as well.
It was easier said than done, but it was better than resorting to more dark trickery.
To break the shackles of protocol might cause the Scorpion to lash out again, and the general wasn't sure if there'd be a Chenbao left once the young monster was done with it.
"Let the boy have his duel," Tan-Hwa politely pleaded. "It will rid us of one general at the very least, and perhaps buy us some time as they reorganize. Offer to extend the ceasefire to a day. It will give us that much more time to rest and bolster our defenses."
"And if General Meng wins?"
Tan-Hwa immediately sent a glare to the courtier that voiced the question. "Then the Fire Nation are as willing to break with sacred rites as we are." He'd seen the boy in action, and knew that the white, consuming flames were far beyond anything the rest of the Fire Nation had. He'd never met the man, but General Meng was surely a dead man walking unless some sort of treachery was involved.
His bared fears persuaded the Duke, and the discussion did not last too long after that. The messenger was brought back in, and Duke Li gave his reply with surprising steadiness.
"Chenbao will honor the ceasefire, and will extend it to the whole of tomorrow to accommodate our honorable enemy's needs…barring the resumption of hostilities from the Northern Army."
The woman gave a pleased nod, and Duke Li continued. "As to the invitation, General Tan-Hwa and several other officers have accepted the offer, and will gladly bear witness to the resolution of honor amongst your ranks."
Tan-Hwa waited for the messenger to be sent back before gathering the appointed colonels and captains that would be going with him. A crash course was required to hammer home the importance of being good guests.
After what happened with Wenli, one could not be too careful.
The following day came, and just as expected, there were no signs of Fire Nation hostilities. The enemy siege camp was bustling with activity, but it was more to clear out a field, likely for the coming duel. Even the ships blockading the port had stopped spewing smoke and were content to remain still on the waters.
Chenbao used the short respite to give its weary garrison some much needed rest, leaving only a skeleton crew on the walls while laborers were put to work. Fishermen set off to cast their nets under the looming presence of the Fire Nation's warships. Merchants who had been trapped by the siege were allowed to leave, carrying messages to neighboring states.
Tan-Hwa was confident that short of treachery from the boy's enemies, the Scorpion would see to a full day's ceasefire through the princess that followed with him. The disruption to the siege's momentum would allow the young commander to more easily undo and review the siege once he was done with his opponent. And if the princess was truly out there with the army, a day's respite would give her time to assert her own royal influence.
The city would get a break, but in exchange the enemy would be given the chance to reset their approach. It was a fair trade, in Tan-Hwa's mind. Better than having the 11th immediately take over and storm the walls to assert dominance.
As morning turned into afternoon, and afternoon turned to evening, Duke Li's exhaustive war council did what they could to tighten the defenses. Piles of sand were prepared in case the 11th's liquid fire made an appearance once more. Barrels of water were placed at intervals for soldiers with their improvised cloth masks to soak into in case of the noxious smoke being sent over the walls somehow. And more importantly, the walls themselves were thickened in the hopes of withstanding whatever explosive projectile the Young Dragon sent their way.
Dusk soon came, and with it a group of Fire Nation soldiers made their appearance outside of Chenbao, waiting to escort their guests to the duel. Tan-Hwa and his delegation went out in full armor, as befitting of their station. He noted the differing attires of Fire Nation sailors, soldiers and the 11th's own distinctive outfit that made up the escort, and unfortunately there weren't any signs of disunity amongst them.
As expected, they were led towards the new field. Torches and guards marked the borders of the dueling ground, giving the whole place a rather ominous and heavy air.
The general found a girl sitting on a raised dais, surrounded by guards in more ornate armor. Torches and guards lined the dueling ground, giving the whole place a rather ominous and heavy air. She looked rather bored, but noticing Chenbao's delegation, she straightened in her seat a little to offer a regal nod.
She was the princess then, or a very convincing body double. Tan-Hwa couldn't truly be sure yet, even with the commanders around her clearly being on their best behavior before her presence.
Either out of confidence or some unknown Fire Nation protocol, Tan-Hwa and his fellow observers were guided towards seats not too far from the raised dais. Maybe a couple of spears away.
Far enough for the guards that filled the space between to react to any danger, but close enough for the 'princess' to be heard muttering to a Fire Nation commander.
"...not a matter of rank or age, but ability, admiral. You will see."
Before he could listen in any further, a familiar figure appeared beside Tan-Hwa, one of the 11th's warriors who had aided their colonel back then. The mailed helmet made it impossible to match the exact identity though.
"General Tan-Hwa. Colonel Xing wishes to convey his regards. Would you or your compatriots require any refreshments?"
The general quickly glanced at his wary colleagues, and then shook his head. "No, thank you. Ah, when is the duel scheduled to start, if you do not mind me asking?"
"Soon," the man answered with casual courtesy. "They are finishing up their preparations."
True enough, the duellists appeared on opposite ends of the field seconds later. Both wore simple garments, with a loose cloak-like thing on their shoulders. Both looked confident in their victory, the older general being far less subtle in wearing it on his grin, while the Scorpion quietly exuded it from the way he moved.
The size disparity between the burly general and the young colonel gave the illusion of the former's victory. But Tan-Hwa did not hear any rumors about this General Meng, nothing about him being a dark spirit that slipped through the night to slit throats, or a bloodthirsty fighter that revelled in blood and fire, or a cunning opponent to be wary of. General Meng hasn't wielded choking smoke or liquid fire either. And Tan-Hwa doubted that General Meng spat white fire that turned all before it into ash.
Silence descended as both officers faced away from each other and knelt on their respective sides of the field. Their secondaries exchanged last minute advice to them before stepping back.
Finally, the crash of a gong sounded, and both participants quickly rose and turned to face one another. Tan-Hwa then had the novel experience of watching firebenders trying to kill each other, albeit in a ceremonial fashion.
General Meng opened with a stream of fire delivered with a solid punch, followed by a low kick that sent out a wave of fire. His rival easily sidestepped and skipped over the attacks and opted to just rush in instead of retaliating.
The general then expertly shifted into a different stance, body turning and arms spinning in a circular motion to release a series of precise fire bolts. The Scorpion ducked and weaved through the barrage, and the guards behind him acted quickly to disperse the stray bolts with their own bursts of flame.
Tan-Hwa watched intensely as the boy leapt to close the last few yards, and twisted impossibly to avoid a stabbing hand knife from his opponent. At the same time, his legs flew out, using the twisting motion to drive home a downward kick onto General Meng. If not for the latter's reflexes, the strike would've seen shin connecting to skullcap in a potentially stunning blow.
Instead, the general quickly backtracked from the glancing hit, his left arm twitching.
"Do you yield?" the colonel loudly asked, standing boldly before his opponent.
"No!" General Meng shouted, and spun low to kick another wave of fire towards Colonel Xing, which was promptly dodged.
"Is this a firebending duel?" Tan-Hwa asked the soldier standing beside him, and earned a slow nod in response.
"The goal of an Agni Kai is to be the first to burn your opponent."
"Then why isn't your colonel firebending?"
He could hear the frown in the reply. "His manner of fighting is not…suited for ceremonial fights like this."
Tan-Hwa remembered the carnage the white flames left behind, and glanced at the spectators around him.
A lot of potential collateral. Not something you want in a duel.
Back on the dueling ground, the Young Dragon was slipping through each and every gout of fire sent his way. In a possible show of contempt, he was not even utilizing his white fire to redirect the attacks. The smaller duellist closed the distance once more, this time by spinning past a stream of flames and lashing out with an elbow into General Meng's chest.
The man stumbled back, and once more the boy stood straight and proud. "Do you yield?"
"No, you cocky little shit!" roared the general as he quickly leapt to his feet and, with a blast of flame propelling him, charged at his opponent. An intense barrage followed, which Colonel Xing avoided with ease, but he was still sent flying back by the double fists obfuscated by the flames.
Smoke trailed and marked the boy's flight and tumble, but he quickly rose, showing no signs of charring on his skin. The general must've not expected to land a hit so quickly, Tan-Hwa speculated.
"Do you yield?" General Meng taunted, earning a smirk from the boy.
The Scorpion spat out a wad of blood and thumped his bruised chest twice before twisting aside just in time to avoid another flurry of fire bolts, as the general once again charged in, feet blazing behind him. This time, the colonel went low, barely avoiding a clothesline to deliver a sweeping kick that caught General Meng in the back of his knees, promptly causing the grizzled man to buckle backwards and lose his balance. The general ended up crashing into the ground as his fouled momentum sent him tumbling with a painful flailing of limbs.
"Do you yield?" Colonel Xing asked a third time, watching passively as his rival slowly and stubbornly got back to his feet.
"Never!" Disregarding the dirt staining his face and body, General Meng quickly slipped into a stance and was ready to engage again.
Tan-Hwa saw the Scorpion shake his head, but also saw the poorly hidden falseness in that move.
There was no regret here. General Meng was likely going to lose both this duel and his life.
The general adopted a more aggressive stance, almost completely dropping any pretense of caution. Another burst of fire from his feet sent him soaring across the dueling field, curling up into a spin in the air to generate force for a truly deadly axe kick that could've likely cracked metal and shattered bones.
A shame it would never be confirmed.
The Scorpion leapt back from both the massive blanket of flame slamming onto the ground, and the kick that followed after it. Before General Meng could quickly make use of the space he bought for himself, the colonel pounced through the still dissipating flames.
A small hand lunged for the man's face as he rose, the surprise attack catching General Meng off balance toppling him backwards.
The boy declared some sort of gibberish as he stood over the general, hand still covering the stunned opponent's face. "Feuer frei."
General Meng seemed like he was about to throw off the colonel with his greater weight and size, but it was interrupted as the white flames of the Young Dragon finally made itself known.
A massive column of blinding fire erupted, blasting a beacon into the darkening sky that briefly tinted everything white, and causing Tan-Hwa to flinch away from the stabbing pain in his eyes. He caught glimpses of the other spectators doing so as well, some almost falling out of their seats in startled surprise.
He quickly returned his gaze back to the field, and as expected, the Young Dragon's silhouette stood within the thick, wafting smoke above his foe's motionless body. As if answering an invisible call, Tan-Hwa and most of the spectators got up from their seats and slowly made their way towards the dueling grounds to confirm their expectations.
A quick glance to his side and Tan-Hwa found the princess standing with a look of anticipation, though she did not leave the raised dais.
A few firebenders literally blasted away the obscuring smoke, revealing a scene of precisely applied brutality. Colonel Xing stood victorious, only marred with the bruises on his chest and patches of flushed skin.
On the other hand, General Meng was missing his head and most of his upper chest, the charred ground under him creating a dark, vitrified halo that marked the point of eruption where his head used to be.
Despite the grisly scene, it was rather amusing to find the other Fire Nation commanders and officers quickly becoming apprehensive of the victor before them.
"Colonel Xing is the victor of this Agni Kai," someone declared. "Honor has been satisfied, and the siege of Chenbao will henceforth be led by Admiral Daeyang, until a new general is appointed."
The announcement harshly reminded Tan-Hwa of his environment, and he saw his colleagues exchange pale looks among themselves. Before he could converse with them, the voice of the young colonel reached out to him.
"General Tan-Hwa! A word with you and your people, if you do not mind?"
With little choice in the matter, the Earth Kingdom witnesses followed after the Scorpion to a quiet corner of the field, enforced by a perimeter of soldiers from the 11th. He wasted no time in relaying his message to them, wearing a smile of sweet malice.
"Please know that Chenbao's surrender will be gladly accepted at any time. Until then, hostilities between us will resume tomorrow, as agreed. For the sake of your people, I hope your duke does not wait too long before announcing his defeat."
Despite it all, the general of Chenbao stiffened his back and managed a defiant glare. "You are assuming you will win."
"That's true," the colonel admitted with a shrug. "Nothing is truly guaranteed, but I think I feel pretty confident about our chances now that we've had a change in leadership."
Tan-Hwa and his delegation left the growing chaos in the Northern Army's camp with all haste. Duke Li had seen the white column flare into the night sky, and it took all of Tan-Hwa's energy to calm his liege down. Unfortunately, the tales his fellow officers brought back did little to convince Duke Li of the city's chances at resisting the Fire Nation army and their little abomination.
The following morning began with a concentrated naval bombardment on the coastal walls. The warships of the Fire Nation had abandoned their blockade to get into optimal sieging positions, and walls were breached in little time despite the desperate efforts of the earthbenders. In the distance, the Northern Army was moving as a single dreadful tide towards the gap.
Against General Tan-Hwa's pleas, a parley was called in the afternoon, and Duke Li began negotiations for a conditional surrender.