Battle of Seilkuq

The Battle of Seilkuq was the culminating battle of the 137 AG Dragonhawk War in which the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, the Swamp, and even the Air Nation defeated the Fifth Nation, Sun Empire, and Water Tribe, ending in Captain Akira Fudo’s surrender, Earth Queen Deshazhuo claiming the dragon Sixith, and concluding the war.

Background

Main article: Dragonhawk War

Captain Akira Fudo, the leader of the Fifth Nation, had set up her base of operations on the remote island of Seilkuq in the northwestern seas, after it was gifted to her by her friend and ally Sun Empress Alinova Dainagon. Alinova had also allowed Akira to bond with the dragon Sixith, whom she rode frequently. When the Earth Kingdom received word of this, they mobilized their own and their allies' forces to land on Seilkuq and attack the enemy host stationed there.

Battle

When the Earth Kingdom's coalition forces arrived together on the island, they were met with silence and an abandoned camp. Confused, they began to search for their enemies, and soon found that Alinova and Akira had been encircling them on dragonback, who gave the signal for their forces to rush upon the island from the ships they had been embarked on. The battle was rather chaotic, but even with two adult dragons on their side, the Fifth Nation and Sun Empire failed to make meaningful advances.

During the commotion, and possibly due to her inexperience, Akira fell from her dragon Sixith into the sea, where she was then pursued and captured by Earth Kingdom soldiers. Deshazhuo, intrigued by Sixith and perhaps in a bout of delusion, approached the dragon, which had landed on the ground, and touched her snout slowly, testing her. She then hoisted herself onto Sixith's back, and, to everyone's surprise, Sixith tolerated Deshazhuo and even took flight.

Seeing that the battle was lost, the remainder of the Sun Empire and Water Tribe forces retreated across the sea, and the Earth Kingdom and its allies claimed victory, Akira Fudo in their captivity.

Aftermath

The Battle of Seilkuq was a decisive victory for the Earth Kingdom and led to the extradition of Captain Akira to Ba Sing Se, where she was executed in the Crystal Catacombs. After the war, the Earth Kingdom declared the island to be an international zone under their own protection, but this was later taken a step further when Earth King Kiros claimed it outright. The battle also established the Earth Kingdom's hegemony over much of the world. After Seilkuq, the Earth Kingdom appeared invincible.

Deshazhuo flew Sixith home to Ba Sing Se during a perilous journey. Although she continued bonding with the dragon, she relinquished the dragon the next year, returning her to La Bayān, for she felt that the Earth Kingdom was no place for a dragon. For this decision, she reportedly earned the respect of Sun Chief N'Jadaka Raa.