Disclaimer: I own the characters, not the universe.
Kyohei, Yi-zhu, Jeo-Hyung and Miseon were sitting in a waiting room while Akoto and Azara were chatting. They were waiting for him to come back but when the door opened it wasn't Akoto who stood there, it was Kaida.
"What are you doing here?" Kyohei asked.
"There isn't much time, I wanted to talk to you about the plan to get us out of here." Kaida closed the door behind her.
"There is a plan, Akoto fights in the duel and marries Azara." Yi-zhu said.
"And did you think about if he doesn't win the duel?" Kaida said with annoyance.
"The squirt has got a point." Kyohei said.
"Don't call me squirt!" Kaida glared.
"Yes ma'am." Kyohei looked away in fear from the small child's death stare.
"Now, the biggest obstacle we have is the choker's we wear. I don't have one because I'm too young but the older girls wear them."
"You can't just take it off?" Jeo-Hyung asked.
"If we could do you really think we'd still be here?" Kaida raised an eyebrow.
"Go on." Jeo-Hyung fell to the death stare as well.
"The choker is made of this magnetic rock that's in the basement of the school. All the chokers are attracted to the rock so the further a girl walks away from the school, the tighter it becomes around her neck. If a girl runs away, the choker will…choke her."
"That's a bit overboard, isn't it?" Yi-zhu said.
"That's the way it is with bride houses. To take off the choker Headmistress Luzina has a piece of rock that repels the lock on the choker and releases the girl."
"Well if it's a piece of rock I'm pretty sure I can just bend it off of her." Kyohei sat up.
"Exactly. Now the fastest Headmistress would perform the ceremony is tomorrow morning and that gives us only tonight to get Azara out if the waterbender fails. If he wins then there isn't a problem."
"Actually there is." Akoto's voice came from the door. They all looked up to him. "I promised her I wouldn't actually marry her. We just need to win the fight to get the Fire Sage and his son out of the way. I say we still go for breaking you two out tonight." Akoto sat down.
"How was your chat?" Miseon asked with a sparkle in her eye.
"Cut short." Akoto answered while rubbing his head.
"Well, then tonight is when we break her out, win or lose." Kyohei said.
"I'll let you in tonight through the southern gate." Kaida got up. "I'll see you at the duel." She hurried out of the room.
"Everything ok?" Yi-zhu asked looking to Akoto.
"Yeah, just preparing myself." Akoto sat up and let out a deep breath.
All of the bride house girls had gathered by the training ground to watch the duel between Akoto and Fuzon. Most of them were squealing about which one they liked better and had seemed to have divided themselves in the room. Kaida was sitting down next to Headmistress Luzina's chair waiting for her sister and the two opponents to come into the field. Nazu led Jeo-Hyung, Miseon, Yi-zhu, and Kyohei to their seats next to Kaida. Then Akoto and Fuzon came out from the sides of the field and stood at the circle drawn in the center. Then, Mistress Ulla came out of the house with Azara in her robes but there were some new additions: chains, and a blindfold. Mistress Ulla led Azara to the center of the field.
"Why is she tied up like that?" Yi-zhu asked.
"You'll see." Kaida answered. There was a loud bang of a gong that signaled the beginning of the duel.
"It's time to begin. Today's participants in the duel competing for the purchase of Bride Azara are," Mistress Ulla looked to Fuzon.
"Fuzon, son of the Fire Sage Izan." Fuzon bowed. Mistress Ulla looked to Akoto.
"Akoto, son of the Water Tribe Council's Akaron." Akoto tried to mimic the style of bowing Fuzon did.
"The rules are as follows." Mistress Ulla began. "In that tree is a key to Azara's chains. Azara will be placed in the cage over there," She motioned to a large cage at the other end of the field. The first one to set her free and pull off her blindfold is the winner. The purchase ceremony will take place tomorrow at sunrise. Understood?"
"Yes." Fuzon and Akoto said in unison. Two other servants led Azara away to her cage. Akoto watched as they locked her in the cage. What kind of fight was this? He didn't agree with the rules at all but if that's what it would take he would do it. He looked to his opponent who seemed as determined as he was. Fuzon stared Akoto down waiting for the fight to start.
"Ready." Mistress Ulla looked between the two. "Begin!" Before Akoto could begin his own attack, Fuzon had jumped up and flung two fireballs his way. Akoto barely blocked them in time creating a steam to cloud his vision but he had heard where Fuzon was heading, towards the key. Akoto ran after him and bended the water in the pond to him and flung icicles at Fuzon who dodged and turned to send waves and streams of fire back at Akoto. Akoto couldn't let him get that key but then Akoto had a brilliant idea. He turned around and began running towards Azara's cage. Fuzon kicked back at Akoto to see why he wasn't attacking when Akoto bended more of the pond water to create a fog to cover his movements. Fuzon quickly changed his course to stop whatever Akoto was attempting when suddenly he heard the sound of breaking metal. Akoto had frozen the metal so cold that he could use his bending to break the lock on the cage.
"I'm coming Azara!" Akoto said as he walked into the cage but was met by a burst of flames erupting in front of him as Fuzon caught up. Akoto turned and whipped the water around him to strike Fuzon down. Akoto rushed behind Azara to bend the water around the lock to freeze it but before he could begin Fuzon tackled him. The two began wrestling around the cage and Azara struggled to get free on her own.
"We have to do something to help him!" Kyohei panicked.
"I have an idea." Yi-zhu whispered into his ear and Kyohei nodded in agreement. As subtly as he could Yi-zhu bended the air to knock the dangling key off of the branch and towards the cage. As soon as it landed Kyohei began moving the earth underneath it to take it closer to the cage. Luckily everyone's eyes were focused on the two men fighting in a cage rather than the key moving of it's own accord towards them. Kyohei then kicked the ground again to separate the two fighters.
"Akoto! The key!" Miseon shouted but suddenly fainted into her father's arms.
"Miseon!" He held her but her eyes had turned white with a vision. Yi-zhu kneeled down to help Jeo-Hyung and Kyohei stood to block anyone from seeing her. Akoto looked up to see the key inches away from him. He scrambled to grab it when he saw Fuzon taking off Azara's blindfold already trying to skip the chains. Akoto jumped forward and grabbed Azara as the blindfold slipped off. They stumbled to the ground. Akoto wrapped his arms around her to slip the key into the lock but as they landed their lips collided. Everyone froze as they witnessed the kiss.
"They will come with a thousand rages to destroy all hope of peace at the turn of the moonlight tonight." Miseon spoke in a strange voice to her father before her eyes turned back to normal. Yi-zhu looked up at Jeo-Hyung as he felt the electricity in the air run through him.
Azara's eyes were wide in shock matching Akoto's own surprised eyes but they turned into a smile as he turned the key in the lock behind her back.
"Yes! He did it!" Kaida shouted as the bride house erupted in cheers. Akoto helped Azara up and out of her chains. She seemed to still be in a state of shock.
"Uh, sorry about that." Akoto rubbed the back of his head bashfully but Azara couldn't speak, she seemed paralyzed from the kiss.
"No! This isn't right! She's mine! We already had an agreement!" Fuzon shouted angrily.
"Fuzon." Azara tried to calm him.
"You are supposed to be with me!" Fuzon went to grab her but Akoto pushed her behind him.
"Leave her alone!" Akoto shouted.
"Fuzon!" His father rushed to him. "Come on, you lost. We no longer have business here." He said calmly and then whispered something in his ear that seemed to calm him down. The two firebenders left the grounds immediately.
"You did it." Azara said but still seemed confused.
"I told you I would." He smiled. Azara stood in shock as the others hurried up to them. Miseon seemed to be back to her normal self again.
"Well done, Akoto." Jeo-Hyung patted hm.
"Thanks. I couldn't have done it without these guys though." Akoto patted Yi-zhu and Kyohei.
"What are you talking about? We just watched." Kyohei smirked.
"Well," Headmistress Luzina came up to the them with Nazu behind her. "Congratulations, you've won your bride. We can perform the ceremony tomorrow morning." The group cheered but Azara stood still in shock.
"Are you alright?" Akoto asked.
"What?" She looked up at him dazed but shook herself back to her senses. "Yeah, I'm fine." She looked to Headmistress Luzina.
"Well, if you gentlemen will follow Nazu, she will take you to the groom's house for the night."
"See you tomorrow, I guess." Akoto said before following out with the rest. Kaida slipped her hand into Azara's and shook her sister.
"Come on." She pulled Azara into the house and back to their room. All of the girls had gone to see Akoto and the others leave so they were alone.
"Kaida." Azara kneeled down to her sister. "I need to speak to Lue. Would you mind?"
"Sure. But I need to tell you the plan first."
"Plan?"
"Akoto said he wouldn't marry you against your well. We're going to sneak out and the earthbender will take off the choker so we can leave tonight."
"Really? He can do that?"
"I told him about the choker, it's made of rock so he can bend it."
"Wow, he's keeping his word." Azara felt her lips which still tingled from the kiss.
"Azara, what happened? Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Azara looked away.
"Really? Cuz I think you like him. You're blushing!"
"I am not. I'm just flustered." Azara got up. "Now, come on. I need to speak to Lue."
"Ok, ok." Kaida closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. When she opened her eyes they were glowing just like the eyes in the cave.
"Azara, there is a great danger." The voice from the cave spoke through Kaida's own mouth.
"I know, I felt it. It ran through me like this electricity." She didn't mention that it happened during her first kiss. "Is it the shadows? How did they find us?"
"No, but it's something with the shadows. There isn't time."
"Lue, I'm so confused. Who am I supposed to go with?"
"It's not about who you are supposed to go with. It's who you want to go with and who you know you need to go with for Kaida's safety." Azara sat back on her heels and thought about it. "I told you he would be good to you." Azara's head shot back up to her Lue-possessed sister. "It's ok to feel for him."
"I don't know what I feel." Azara shrunk back down. "But Kaida needs protection and I'll do what I have to for her. Just promise me you won't leave her."
"You're the one I'm not supposed to leave, but in this case I can abide."
"The others will come tonight, be ready to follow them."
"When am I to come for you?"
"You won't need to, I'll meet you at the Great Library, tell them that."
"As you wish." Kaida's eyes closed and returned to normal. Azara hurried to hold her as she fainted from using too much energy to connect with Lue.
"Azara." Kaida called in a weak voice. "Did Lue have good news?" She rested on her sister's bosom.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah he did. We're gonna get out of here." She patted her head knowing what she had to do.
"Wow, this is really nice." Kyohei said as they looked around the groom's house.
"Alright, Kaida said she'd let us in the house in four hours when everyone is asleep. At that time Kyohei and Akoto will remove the choker and get Azara and Kaida out. Jeo-Hyung, Miseon, and I will get Loba ready to go." Yi-zhu explained.
"Do you think we have enough time to get out safely?" Jeo~Hyung asked.
"What are you talking about?" Akoto asked.
"When you were fighting…actually when you were kissing Azara the atmosphere changed for a moment, everything kind of zapped and Miseon had a vision." They looked to Miseon.
"It was scary." She buried her face in her dad's leg.
"It warned us that something bad was headed in our direction." Jeo-Hyung explained. "We think it's the shadows again."
"She said that the come at the turn of moonlight with a thousand rages. When is the turn of moonlight?"
"Well that's pleasant." Akoto thought about it.
"Let's not stick around to find out." Kyohei jumped up from his chair. "Why don't we just go get her now?"
"Because we don't want to cause a commotion. We need to wait for the place to be quiet and when we're sure we can get safely out." Yi-zhu explained.
"I'm just saying that clearly if we wait we're going to have a commotion whether we want it or not."
"It's best to go about this calmly and not rush. Aren't earthbenders supposed to be patient?"
"Aren't airbenders supposed to be smart?" The two glared at each other.
"Enough! Someone's coming!" Miseon shouted as she saw a silhouette walk past the window. They all jumped up in preparation for an attack. There was a knock on the door and Jeo-Hyung cautiously opened it. They were relieved to see it was only Nazu holding a tray of drinks.
"Complimentary drinks for your new bride." She bowed and held up the tray.
"Come on in." Jeo-Hyung invited her but Nazu seemed nervous and the tray shook slightly as she walked inside and put the tray on the table.
"Please drink." Nazu said but her usual graceful manner seemed to be shaking all over.
"Nazu, are you cold?" Kyohei asked.
"No, of course not. I'm perfectly fine. Please drink." She motioned to the cups again but no one was taking them. They looked between each other in confusion but shrugged and each took a cup.
"Well, cheers to a successful duel." Jeo-Hyung said and the group clunked their glasses together and brought it to their mouths.
"DON'T DRINK IT!" Nazu leapt forward and knocked the glasses out of their hands spilling the contents to the floor. They were about to scold Nazu when they noticed the liquid burning into the flooring.
"What the?" They all stepped back.
"I'm sorry. They made me do it. But I just couldn't." Nazu shrunk to the floor sobbing.
"Who made you do it?"
"The Fire Sage." She looked down. They all looked up to each other with wide eyes.
"Azara!" Akoto shouted and ran out of the house.
Azara tucked in Kaida to her bed and looked at her one last time before getting up and gathering her things into a cloth which she tied into a bag.
"Oh good you're already packed." Izan's voice came. Azara jumped and spun around to see the Fuzon and Fire Sage Izan holding a knife to Headmistress Luzina's throat.
"What are you doing?"
"We're the rightful owners of you, Azara. We're seeing to it that we get what we came for."
"Azara, don't fight. Just come with us." Azara looked to the Headmistress.
"Azara, do it. Go with them, please." She begged for her life. Azara let out a sigh.
"I was going to find you anyways." Azara said flatly.
"You were?" Fuzon looked hopeful.
"I wanted to know why the Great Sage sent you for me, that's all." She explained shutting Fuzon down.
"Perfect, then we have no complaints. Release her from the choker." Izan ordered Headmistress Luzina. Azara walked forward and turned around holding her hair up as Luzina held up her wrist with the repelling rock to release the choker from around Azara's neck.
"What about Kaida?" Luzina whispered to her.
"Let her go with the waterbender." She whispered back. "Alright, boys, take me to your leader." She said casually and followed the Fire Sage and Fuzon out of the room. Suddenly they heard screams and booms coming from the village.
"What was that?" Fuzon asked and they all hurried to the window.
"It's time to go." Izan grabbed Azara's arm and pulled her out of the room with Fuzon following them. Luzina stayed looking out the window as she saw the village below begin to erupt into flames.
"Oh my spirits."
A/N: Hey everyone! I'm so sorry this took so long but life just got very busy here in Japan! My workload has amplified tenfold now but I'm going to try to get the next chapters up soon! Fear not, this story is not abandoned! Thanks for reading and reviewing!