The Raid

"The Raid" is the twenty-fifth chapter of The Rise of Kyoshi.
== Overview ==
The Flying Company, along with Mok's army, raid Governor Te Sihung's palace and free a prisoner. Though Kyoshi is pressured to assassinate Te, she instead helps him escape from the daofei's wrath.
== Synopsis ==
The Flying Opera Company stands outside of Governor Te Sihung's palace as the timing incense in Rangi's hand crumbles. After Rangi whispers to begin the attack, Lek dust-steps up to the boulder in front of the group and pulls a sling from his arm sleeves. Rangi, Wong, and Kirima run toward the palace as Lek throws a fist-sized rock with his sling. Lek's earth bullet hits a guard standing on a faraway roof. Kyoshi is impressed with Lek's earthbending skill, and he prepares to shoot another rock with the sling in his hand. Lek's aim is thrown off by a sudden horn blasting from the daofei forces. He swears, readjusts the stone's direction as it flies, then lets out a sigh of relief as it hits its target in the distance. Lek yells for Kyoshi to get moving since Mok's forces have now idiotically blown their cover. Kyoshi and Lao Ge begin to sprint toward the palace's southern fields while Rangi, Wong, and Kirima climb the eastern wall. In an attempt to defend the palace, Te's hidden earthbenders shoot back Mok's Kang Shen forces. The daofei are unbothered by their loss in numbers and charge faster toward the palace. Kyoshi and Lao Ge race toward the war zone between Te's earthbenders and the daofei. Lao Ge shouts for Kyoshi to run into the action-packed field; she takes a deep breath as she runs, then prepares for action by fully embracing the earth below her.
As Kirima and Rangi guard the overlook, Kyoshi states that they cannot let Mok's army break into the palace or everyone inside will be slaughtered. Rangi answers that the only way they could prevent that is by fighting on Te's side instead of Mok's. Kyoshi shakes her head, saying that slaughtering Mok's men is not the answer. Kirima asks if Kyoshi is saying that they are supposed to break into a palace, prevent casualties on both sides, and rescue a prisoner, all at the same time. Kyoshi confirms that Kirima has heard her correctly. Rangi says that their plans are limited by the small number of benders they have on their team. Kyoshi's face grimaces before asking Rangi what plans she would make if they had the Avatar fighting alongside them.
Kyoshi carves a long ramp into the ground as arrows fail to hit her. Using earthbending, Kyoshi and Lao Ge create a giant moat around Te's palace to help postpone Mok's raid. Lao Ge and Kyoshi raise themselves out of the trench and meet up with Rangi, Wong, and Kirima on the eastern roof of the palace. Kirima says that they are right on schedule. Kyoshi asks if the guards are packed in the southern wall and Rangi answers that though many of them are, she still needs to act quickly. Kirima and Kyoshi draw power from the full moon's reflection on the turtle duck pond below, as the two waterbenders work together to raise a giant blob of water. Kyoshi nearly releases the water as an arrow hits the chain mail protecting her ribs.
As guards appear on the opposite end of the courtyard, Rangi tells the waterbenders that she will give them cover. After the others jump down to the courtyard, Kirima tells Kyoshi that it is time to "drop the hammer". Kyoshi drops the giant mass of water and watches as it floods the southern end of the mansion. They hear guards scream as the water violently knocks them down. Only wanting to disarm the guards inside, Kyoshi and Kirima push the wave throughout the mansion's corridors, then drain the water out of the mansion before anyone drowns. As Kyoshi is distracted by checking that all the guards are still alive, a lone soldier that loudly races toward her with a spear catches her off guard. Kyoshi clumsily pulls out her war fans and is unable to defend herself in time. Just before the guard impales her, a stone thrown from Lek from the distance takes the man out. Kirima tells Kyoshi to hurry up and move onto the last phase of their raid. Kirima and Kyoshi race through underground service tunnels and meet Lao Ge at a fork. He tells Kirima that they need her to pick the cell door's lock with waterbending while he takes Kyoshi to watch for incoming guardsmen. When Kyoshi realizes that Kirima has left her alone with Lao Ge, he casually leans against a wall and tells the Avatar to follow him.
Kyoshi feels dizzy with worry as she follows Lao Ge down the hallway. They eventually reach the end of the hall and find about a dozen well-dressed residents lying on the ground and trembling. Behind the cluster of injured people is a solid iron door that has no accessible opening. Lao Ge steps forward and tells the fearful residents that their master only cares about saving himself. As Kyoshi smells something unpleasant, she looks down to see a chamberlain rocking back and forth in terror, praying that Yangchen and the spirits save them. Lao Ge tells the terrified household staff that their lives are spared and asks them all to leave the room. Kyoshi watches in silence as the frail residents scramble their way out of her presence. Lao Ge reminds Kyoshi that she needs to break the lock on the sturdy iron door. The Avatar grabs the lock with both hands and wiggles it around as she heats it up. Kyoshi's hands begin to burn as she slowly wears out the metal lock. Lao Ge encourages her to finish the job and admits that, until now, he did not know this technique was possible. The metal lock finally snaps, leaving the heavy door hanging on by its hinges.
Kyoshi forces the iron door open, revealing a surprisingly large and luxurious bunker inside. When a young boy in his pajamas stands alone against the far wall, Kyoshi wonders if he is Te's son and asks him where his father is. The boy confidently announces that he is Governor Te Sihung. She looks at Lao Ge, whose expression reveals that he has known all along that the governor is just a child and that this is a test to see whether she still has it in her to assassinate him. Kyoshi asks Te how old he is, to which the boy sneers that he does not have to answer to daofei. She picks Te up by the neck and throws him out of the cellar. After she asks the same question once again, the governor finally reveals that he is just fifteen years old and begs for his life to be spared. Lao Ge argues that since Te is Lek's age, and thus old enough to know the difference between right and wrong. As Te attempts to squirm away, Lao Ge presses his foot on the governor's ankle and holds him in place. Te begs for his life, saying that he has only done what his father, the previous governor, taught him to do. Lao Ge asks Kyoshi, only two years older than Te, if she is free from consequence. Rather than telling Lao Ge that she is not, she picks up Te by his jacket and cries that she is sorry; she tells the boy that her next action was something she decided on doing long before she discovered the boy's age. Suddenly, Kyoshi blasts Lao Ge down the hall with airbending.
The day before Kyoshi began training with Kirima, Kyoshi had met privately with Rangi. As they walked around in circles with their arms held out, Kyoshi reminded Rangi that she is not an airbender. Rangi explained that she is not trying to teach Kyoshi how to airbend, but only wanted her to produce a breeze before learning waterbending. As Rangi spun around, she guessed that Kyoshi was supposed to feel her energy spiral in order to create wind. Kyoshi dodged Rangi's collision and asked how she is okay with the Avatar learning such a butchered attempt at airbending. Rangi said that she just wants Kyoshi to airbend before she waterbends so that she does not damage the elemental cycle. She said that she is afraid that if Kyoshi learns the elements out of order, she could become a broken Avatar. Rangi put her hands over her face and said that nothing makes sense anymore. From behind, Kyoshi wrapped her arms around Rangi and comforted her. Rangi revealed that she still misses Kelsang, as well as her own father, wishing that they could have more time with everyone she is lost. Kyoshi pulled her in closer before she realized she had finally created a breeze. Just as Kelsang used to do to cheer her up, she spun dancing leaves in a circle around her and Rangi. Kyoshi made the wind spin faster and felt as though Kelsang was smiling down on her. Kyoshi reminded Rangi that those they have lost will always be with them.
Back in the palace, Lao Ge lands on cushions inside the vault. Kyoshi quickly throws Te over her shoulder and races down the hall. Lao Ge chases after her as she runs up to the ground floor. The Avatar successfully dust-steps onto a roof and Lao Ge stops chasing her for second and notes how many times she had faked an inability to dust-step. Kyoshi informs him that they were not all fake before sprinting across the palace. She wonders whether Lao Ge is able to dust-step since she has never seen him do it. After reaching the palace stables, she sets Te down on an ostrich horse. As he begins to thank her for saving his life, she smacks him across the mouth. Kyoshi warns him that, if he does not become a better leader, she will assassinate him. Te, who had witnessed her earthbend and airbend, asks if she is the Avatar. Kyoshi does not like that Te has figured it out but admits it, saying that it is even more reason for him to take her threat seriously. Kyoshi pats the ostrich horse and watches as it rides away with Te on its back.
Kyoshi lowers the bridge a second time, trying to prevent Mok's men from attacking the palace. She then dust-steps over the gap and begins walking to the rendezvous point where the others are. During her hike, Lao Ge catches up and criticizes her abilities as his apprentice. The assassin angrily admits that this is the first time that he has failed to take out his target, hurting his pride. He reminds her that Te is her responsibility now and Kyoshi apologizes for dishonoring her sifu. Lao Ge and Kyoshi reach the rest of the Flying Opera Company, who are escorting a prisoner. Rangi praises Kyoshi's bending performance and celebrates the group's success. Wong throws the mysterious prisoner over his shoulder and says that it is time to deliver him to Mok. He apologizes for manhandling the hooded prisoner, who politely responds that it is no problem. They deliver the prisoner to Mok, who is angry about the trench that they made to keep him from raiding the palace. The prisoner greets Mok and asks that he take off his hood. Wong releases the prisoner while Mok acknowledges him as his "big brother". The men hug while exclaiming that it has been eight long years since they have seen each other. The prisoner chokes Mok, making him apologize for not rescuing him sooner. He eventually tosses Mok to the side and takes notice of Kyoshi's group. Kyoshi says that if it is alright, her group should be on their way. However, the prisoner, who announces himself as Xu Ping An, invites them to stay to celebrate. Kyoshi panics as she tries to remember what the name means to her. Xu gives a speech to the daofei and incites violence against the Earth Kingdom town. The outlaws suddenly fasten yellow scarfs around their necks, truly exposing Xu's men as the Yellow Necks rather than Autumn Bloom.
== Production notes ==
=== Series continuity ===
* Kyoshi waterbends by drinking in the moonlight and feeling its push and pull, consistent with Yue's explanation of the source of waterbending in "The Siege of the North, Part 1".
* Rangi teaches Kyoshi that skilled firebenders can heat objects directly touching their skin without hurting themselves, such as warming metal to its melting point, an ability Iroh displays in "Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku" when he rapidly heats a metal shackle on his wrist until it glows red to burn one of his earthbending captors.
* While trying to help Kyoshi airbend, Rangi posits that Kyoshi needs to feel her energy spiraling, matching Tenzin's explanation to Korra in "A Leaf in the Wind" that airbending is all about spiral movements.
* Kyoshi unlocks her airbending the same way Aang unlocks his air chakra in "The Guru", both reflecting on their enduring capacity to love in spite of the grief felt for those they have lost.
=== Character revelations ===
* Kyoshi airbends for the first time.
* The Autumn Bloom Society is revealed to be a cover name for the Yellow Necks.
== References ==
Category:A to Z
Category:Kyoshi novels chapters
Category:Real world
Category:The Rise of Kyoshi chapters