Dawn of a New Prince (Star Wars/Avatar Crossover)

Erv paused and nodded a bit at the plan. That could work. The Avatr was expecting them to try it, so he left a couple of rear guards. Nonetheless, they were poorly armed children. He was confident they could outgun and, perhaps, capture instead of kill them.

"That sounds like a good plan," Erv noted.

Helios

Helios could feel the energy Azula was collecting, and as Mara dived away, he rolled out of the lightning's path. He saw Azula, she wasn't collected, her lightning wasn't the precise and deadly tool she had used before, this was wild, though still deadly. "Poor Azula, disgraced, forced to work with her enemies, no one to turn to. Can't even hurt her brother when his back is turned," he mocked, and leaped toward Mara again, stabbing forward with his blades, which would infuriate her.

Zareal/Iroh

"He's up ahead," Zareal said, not necesarry at that point for Iroh could hear the breating. "Wait, we need a plan," Iroh said. "Plan? Here's a plan, you distract him with fire, I'll fight him head on, together we can kill him if we're lucky," Zareal replied. Iroh shook his head, but nothing could be done, they had reached the metal man, Zareal's glowing sword in his hand. Instead of talking or making some statement, Zareal leapt and slashed at Vader, not caring whether he was facing him or not.

Azula

Azula didn't even wait for Zuko's reply. The second he dodged her bolt, the Princess saved up another attack, this time a burst of fire that would be much more specific then her previous barrage. After inhaling deeply, Azula launched four jets of flame, three small and one large, around her Brother.

He would pay soon, yes, that smug look would be wiped off of his face after Azula had killed him.

The remaining Dai Li fell back. Toph drew in a deep breath, taking advantage of the small break. There was no telling how long this game, if it could be called that, would last.

"How're you doing?" she asked Sokka.

Fi

"Good. If we want to survive, we should hit them fast and hired. Throwing a few frag and stun grenades ought to keep them busy for a moment while we prepare to fire at them."

Darth Vader

Darth Vader twisted and ignited his lightsaber in time to block Zareal's strike. The Dark Lord pushed him back and attempted to behead the man with a swift strike.

Mara

Mara cautiously observed Azula's fire blasts, making sure the girl wouldn't accidentally hit her when she next attacked. When the apprentice turned his back to her, the Hand lifted up a slab of rock and hurled it toward him. Hopefully that distraction might give Azula a moment to break through his defenses.

Sokka frowned, feeling how hot his weapon had become from firing so many blaster bolts. He turned to Toph, "I'm doing fine, but this thing's starting to warm up."
*

Erv nodded, "Use the stun grenades first. Use the frag grenades only when necessary."

She nodded. "Well, they're not doing anything right now, so we might have a little time to rest. Maybe that blaster thing will cool down."

Toph hoped so. She knew there had to be more than Dai Li agents out there, and Sokka's weapon was the most reliable and effective against those enemies. They could not afford to lose it.

Zareal/Iroh

Zareal ducked back and a stream of fire shot over his head toward the Sith Lord from Iroh. The Jedi wasted not time in coming in for a blow to Vader's side.

Helios

The Apprentice cocooned himeself in the Force, protecting him from the fire and the slab. He then unleashed the energy as a wave of the dark side, shaking the unstable foundations of the temple.

Azula

Azula, once again, did not wait for Zuko to dodge the hand or the fire blasts. The Princess channeled her energy once again, this time much more quickly and haphazardly then before. The lightning crackled around Azula for only a second, before it quickly flew across the room once again.

The Princess quickly repeated the process, but as Zuko used the force, and the ground started to shake around Azula. The Princess fell back as the Lightning flickered around her, throwing Azula's aim off. The Lightning flew up and hit the ceiling of the temple room, shattering the ancient and beautifully crafted stonework.
----------------------------
Lilith

Lilith quickly dug through her heavy pack as Erv and Fi agreed on using grenades. It only took a few seconds to find the desired weapons.

"Here you go," Lilith stated as she tried to hand the stun grenades to Fi. She was relieved that they were using those instead of the frag grenades for now.

"It better," he agreed, allowing himself to relax somewhat. He smiled a little, "I think we're doing good. No one's gotten close so far."

He felt the temple shake. He groaned, "Why does the Universe like proving me wrong? I just hope that's not Zuko or Vader."

*

Erv dug throug his own pockets for his own grenade he packed. He only had a few, but he was reasonably sure that the stormtroopers had more. He nodded at the two, "Are you two ready?"

"The place hasn't collapsed yet, so I'm not going to worry about it just yet," said Toph. She shivered. "I know we needed it, but I still don't like standing here doing nothing."

"Me either. Still, if we leave, the others would be left unprotected," Sokka told her.

"I know that. I'm not saying we should leave," said Toph. "It's just..." She frowned. "They're just standing down there. I've got a bad feeling about this, Sokka."

"You and me both," he muttered, glancing over the wall, looking for anymore of the Dai Li and Vader's allies.

Lilith

Lilith gulped, her hands shaking as she realized that she, as a soldier, would have to throw the grenades herself. Luckily they were stun, perhaps if they worked, the children would survive and no one would really have to be hurt or killed today. That would be nice.

"Ready Sir," Lilith replied.

Erv nodded and smiled grimly as the next wave of Dai Li charged, effectively distracting the children.

"Then throw them now," the Lieutenant ordered as he threw one himself just as Sokka popped his head over the wall. The grenade exploded in his face, effectively blinding him temporary.

"The shooter is incapacitated," Erv noted.

*

"Ah!" Sokka screamed, having been knocked back. White light blocked his view. He held out his hands in front of his eyes, but it was no use.

"What was that? There's too much light, I can't see," Sokka said, panicked.

Toph was close to Sokka in an instant. "Don't worry," she said. "I've got you."

She stood in front of him and brought her arm up and over her head. A dome of earth slipped over them. From underneath the protective layer, she continued to attack and pelt the charging Dai Li agents. Rock waves, pillars, and smaller projectiles forced them back yet again.

Another lull of peace came. Knowing it would not last forever, Toph knelt next to Sokka. "Are you okay?" she asked, her worry now making her sick. She had heard the explosion, but there had been no shrapnel. But Sokka could not see and he was panicked; she could hear and feel his heartbeat well enough.

Sokka nodded and reached blindly, feeling the earth dome and, at last, one of Toph's hands, "It's fine... It just came as a surprise. Thanks, Toph. Damn it, I'm sorry. I can't fight like this!"

Was this what Toph felt like before she learned to "see"? Helpless and unable to help.

"Well right now, you won't have to," she said. "I'll keep this dome standing for as long as I can. I won't let 'em hurt you."

That was a vow she meant to keep. He had saved her so many times the past few weeks. She would return the favor.

He had reached out for her, and Toph was glad he had found her hand and not the stump of her maimed arm. She squeezed his hand, hoping it comforted him a little. Unlike any other time she would have made fun of him for being unable to see, now he was genuinely blind and scared.

She knew how that felt.

Sokka nodded, grateful that he was holding her hand. It helped him get a sense that he wasn't lost or anything.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks," he told her, his cheeks flushed red in shame. Sure, sometimes he was useless in batte, especially against benders and Vader's allies, but at least he could try. But now, he couldn't even do that and he didn't know what was going on. It was frustrating to the boy that was always making plans and getting the ideas for the group. Without information, he couldn't even plan.

Darth Vader

The Dark Lord held out a hand and quickly diverted the course of Iroh's fire blast, and brought up his saber to block Zareal's strike. Hm. The old man would be a troublesome pest in this battle. He would need to be eliminated quickly for Vader to divert his full attention to the Jedi.

Darth Vader ended the lock he and Zareal's sabers were in, and made a swipe with his sword to cut into the Jedi's chest.

Fi

Once the rock dome went over to cover the two children, Fi rolled behind a piece of rubble to defend himself from what attacks the earthbender sent their way. As the Dai Li kept the girl busy, Fi got up from his cover and threw two frag grenades near the dome, before quickly backing down. Hopefully the blasts from the grenades would penetrate the rock dome.

Mara

Mara managed to keep herself steady as the temple foundations shook violently. The Hand ran away from her current position as a slab of stone crashed down from the ceiling, due to the lightning strike Azula had used.

This battle was becoming especially dangerous, very fast. Vader's apprentice would need to be killed fast, before he ended up destroying the entire temple. Mara rushed toward Zuko and curved her saber to behead him.

She sighed. "Don't feel bad, Sokka. Your sight will come back soon, okay? You're gonna be fine."

Toph stiffened. The Dai Li agents were attacking again. She stood, but did not move too far from Sokka so that he did not feel so alone and lost in this newfound darkness. She held up her arm and focused.

She beat back the agents again and again. They were certainly gluttons for punishment. She supposed she could respect their persistence, though it still annoyed her.

And then she sensed something... no, two objects smack into the ground not far away. She did not even have a chance to wonder what they could be. Two explosions shocked her senses, and the earth-dome was blown apart.

Toph flung herself onto Sokka to protect him from the worst of the flying debris.

"Toph!" Sokka cried, hearing the ensuing explosion as she knocked him to the ground. He gripped her, begging the Spirits for her to be okay. He grimaced as he hit the ground. At least he cushioned her landing.

*

Erv smiled grimly as he pressed adjusted the settings on his pistol, "Set your weapons to stun. Lord Vader would want to interrogate them should the Avatar gives us the slip this time."

He turned to the remaining Dai Li and nodded at them, "Subdue and restrain them."

With that said, he began to approach the Temple, careful should the kids recover unexpectedly quick.

Toph lay on top of Sokka for a brief moment. The explosion had stunned her rather badly, but she recovered quickly enough. She swore and held her aching head. "Ugh..." she groaned. "You okay, Sokka?"

He did not have a chance to answer. Toph could just barely feel the agents slipping close again. It was difficult to focus on them, too. Everything was so fuzzy after the explosion. Her earth-sight was still struggling to get back to normal.

It didn't matter. She had to fight.

"We're about to have some company," she told Sokka.

She pushed herself to her feet and took up a position in front of him again. She lashed out at the Dai Li agents yet again. The agents had a bit more luck this time, now that she was temporarily off-balance. They were able to dodge her attacks and pull off some of their own, but despite all that Toph countered them all.

Slowly but surely, her earth-sight was returning to full strength. She only hoped it happend fast enough.

Zareal/Iroh

Zareal sustained a small cut into his robes, thankfully not the skin, but it was still too close. He stepped back, while Iroh shot fire balls at Vader. Zareal couldn't get near him without the fire balls hitting him, so he prepared himself for an assault, waiting for Vader's next move.

Helios

The Apprentice's Force Wave disrupted the first lightning, and the second went into the cieling, further de-stabalizing the temple. A flash of the Force gave him a second to turn and block Mara's strike. He held them in deadlock, and asked, "Why are you against us? Would you not benefit more from joining my master and I, than fighting with my sister and the Avatar?"