Moments after they cleared the Fire Nation ships, they were in the thick of it. A battlefield of snow, ash, and blood.

The momentum swung over and over in small clashes as metal tanks were pitted against skilled water benders who used the very environment as their weapon.

More often than not, the waterbenders surged ahead, and Aaron was convinced the battle would be over before nightfall, but everything changed when balloons joined the battlefield.

They torched water tribe troops from above, their tallest water geysers unable to cut down the balloons.

Things took a turn for the worst when the first bomb dropped. It exploded with a crack of shrapnel and fire, dismembering several men.

“TNT,” Mark said sourly.

“I take it’s bad?” Aaron asked.

“That’s what nearly killed your uncle,” Ren muttered.

No more words needed to be said; Aaron knew things were about to get a whole lot messier. He turned to the children.

“Keep them safe,” Aaron told Mark then faced Aang. “Don’t fight with one hand behind your back. It will only hurt more people.”

The conflict on the young Avatar's face was clear but he offered no rebuttal.

Aaron and Ren took off and struck out with powerful air slices and explosive stingers, plucking balloons from the air. They watched them crash and burn in the snow like paper lanterns.

However, no matter how many they took down, there was always more.

After a particularly daring takedown, several balloons nearly boxed Aaron in, and he had to switch his sub-mind from aiming to activating Chi reinforcement. What would’ve taken seconds took a fraction of that, and he disappeared into the sky with an explosion of air before the fight could get any worse.

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Ren fared better, flashing between numerous balloons and ripping the men who operated them apart with his bare hands, but he was just one man.

Just as Aaron was about to retreat into the city to get his Uncle and Aunt, the air cracked and several war balloons exploded.

Out of the flaming wreck, arced a spear that crashed into the snow. From the city, two men emerged. Uncle Wang whose body was half-covered in bandages, and Uncle Harlan, who cracked a smile.

“You certainly know how to make an entrance,” Harlan said. “Now, I’ll have to show you up to earn back my spot as the flashiest member of our little family.”

“Uncle Harlan, Uncle Wang!” Aaron called out, hardly containing himself. He’d seen their spirits multiple times in the spirit world, but it'd been over a year since he'd seen his uncles in person.

As they floated over, Harlan laughed. “How’s my little prodigy of a nephew been.”

“Better now that you’re here.”

Aaron turned to Uncle Wang and nodded. “It’s good to see you on your feet.”

Uncle Wang’s smile was only a little bit forced. “It will take a lot more than petty tricks to keep me down.”

There was nothing petty about those explosions, but Aaron said nothing. After everything he’d gone through. It’d be stranger if he seemed perfectly fine.

“How is Misha?” Aaron asked.

Colour drained from Uncle Wang's face, while Uncle Harlan flashed me one of his famous smiles that'd long lost its charm.

“She’s shaken up, but I’m confident she’ll bounce back,” Harlan said. His words did nothing to reassure Aaron. No one had told him exactly how Misha was recovering. Aaron had seen flashes of her state during the battle in the memories that'd been shared with him. She'd been near catatonic.

‘If Misha never recovers because I asked her to cover for me…”

“She’s in the safest place in the world,” Ren interjected as he touched down in the snow, pulling Aaron from his dark thoughts. “The Dark fire are approaching to reinforce the War Balloons and the Tanks. They’re determined to conquer the city before nightfall.”

Harlan scoffed. “Let them try. So long as I stand there, my city will not fall.” It was the first time Aaron had heard Uncle Harlan express a hint of patriotism for the North, but he supposed it was natural. The Air Nation might’ve been their family, but they came from all over.

As they turned to face the approaching force, Uncle Wang spoke. “I can’t help but feel like this is another trick by the traveller. As much as I hate to admit it, he’s fooled me more than once.”

Aaron felt a nervous pang in his chest.

“Do you think he’s finally making his move? Going after Mark or the Avatar?” Harlan gave voice to Aaron’s fears.

“I suspect things won’t be as simple,” Ren muttered. “Our One with the World covers miles, and from everything we’ve seen, he should know this. He wouldn’t dare try to grab the children unless he was sure of himself. With how his last exchange with a Phantom went, he won’t dare face us again.”

Aaron had meditated in the spirit world and had seen the fight between Aunty Yara and Samir. It’d been eye-opening.

He’d overestimated himself and paid dearly for it, but his powers were no joke either. Samir was adept at thinking on his feet, and his powers of hypnosis ensured he’d get as many chances to kill them as he’d liked.

But they knew his trick now too. And every single one of them would be prepared for him next time. Not that the coward would ever show his face again with how the last fight went.

Aaron wished he’d been the one to face when the time came. He ached to pay him back for what he’d done to Misha.

“Either way, he’ll play his hand soon enough,” Uncle Wang spoke again, “and this time, we’ll be ready for him.”

---

Aaron never saw it coming; neither did his uncles.

The moon turned dark, stealing all of the colour from the world.

They froze from their clash with dozens of Dark fires, Elite firebenders, War Balloons, and mercenaries.

The realization hit Aaron like a brick to the head. Samir's target was never the children. It was the Ocean Spirit.