Fourteen Hours. Fourteen Hours had passed since the event of Leon's leave from the Southern WaterGrounds. Whether motivated by pity, loneliness, or greed, Asuki joined Leon on his quest towards the Northern WaterGrounds.
The constant certainty regarding the thick, icy tundra of the very eastern of the Southern WaterGrounds was often interrupted by a thin sheet of ice--a thin disturbance; these unwanted annoyances often caused rerouting and reconsidering as to where those who must get past this to where they must travel.
"Let's rest," said Asuki, falling backwards onto the soft snow covering thick ice. Leon mimicked Asuki, closing his eyes once the rest of his body was able to rest, but he could not sleep. Deep thoughts and Banishment were not good for the mind before retiring. The cloudless sky was filled with light; certain parts of the land were filled with constant light or constant darkness from solstice to solstice; this was one of those places.
Leon sat up, hunched over. "I'm tired," he said, stroking his hands through his white hair—interrupting the flow of spikes.
"Then sleep," the other said, rolling to his side.
"I can't... too much on my mind."
"They won't let you back." Asuki sat up and stared at Leon's empty face. "...I'm Sorry," he said, looking down at the ice. "You know... they've probably banned me too, just for coming with you. Neither of us will be able to return to the Southern WaterGrounds." There was a pause where they both thought about their future, and Leon felt a bond with his quirky, young...friend.
"I'm sorry," said Leon, quickly and sadly.
"Don't worry about it kid--it was my decision. We're going to the Northern WaterGrounds together--both of us--and nothing's going to stop us," Asuki smiled and looked at Leon. He stood up, "Well--if we both can't sleep... let's just go ahead. No use wasting eternal daylight, right?" They both laughed and got up. Asuki put the large gourd on his back and gripped his black bag.
There was no end in sight to the icey land around them. The only sounds made on their walk were the crunches of ice below their feet, which varied in tone as the ice thickness changed. Asuki stopped suddenly, and again--Leon mimicked Asuki and stopped behind him.
"Hey," said Asuki, still facing the opposite way of the other, "Do you think a few days will ruin our travel to the Northern WaterGrounds?"
"What?" Leon asked, unsure of what Asuki was asking, "No... I think."
Asuki turned around to face Leon. "Want to learn some techniques that Sekio wouldn't approve?" He smiled.
"..Sure." said the apprentice, gleaming. Asuki turned back around, with his back facing Leon, took a deep breathe, and heaved foward, breathing out air through his mouth. The ice in front of Asuki started to deteriate and turn into a large pond as he held the pose, letting out air. Once the pond was many meters in width, Asuki dropped his pose and let the chilling air fill his lungs.
"Now, show me that move from the pond before again," Asuki said, while Leon laughed, and ran to the side of the pond opposite from Asuki. He executed the swift movements of the water wave again, and slowly began to work on the wave. Unique to their history, Asuki mimicked Leon and added to the wave. The large, concentrated urge of water began to slowly move upward, and reached a height many times larger than that of either Leon or Asuki. They smiled at each other as Asuki said, "Work harder! We almost got i--," but was interrupted as a large blast of water jet through their tower, making it descend as the two creators lost their pose and breath.
About thirty meters away, a group of three men dressed in robes of waterbenders whose hoods were upon their heads stood in a triangular formation. The man in front took off his hood to reveal his ragged face and incomplete mouth. He spoke in the accent of a native Southern WaterBender, "Asuki and Leon, right?" he asked, staring into the eyes of Asuki.
"Yeah. what do you care?" said Leon, stepping closer to the three than Asuki.
"Leon, let me handle this," Asuki said aside to Leon. "Yeah. What do you care?"
The frontman laughed and said, "Well.. we're going for the wish, o'course."
"The...wish?" asked Asuki.
"Yeah...the bounty on your heads!"
"A bounty!" screamed Asuki, in fear. Damn, they already got a bounty on our heads. I wonder if Leon understands what this means. There'll be more...if there's a good enough reward, he thought. "What do you get in return?"
"I told ya'. A wish. Sekio promised one wish to who brings back heads of Leon and Asuki.. and gave us the direction to which ya' traveled."
A wish? Damn. , thought Asuki.
"And my wish is gonna be to make me king," he said, followed by a sly smile. "And all we needs is you, now"
"What?" Asuki looked behind him, to where Leon was, but instead he found two other men in a waterbending coat identical to the other three men, with a posture to that of...the Water Encapture! Beside the two was a large ball of ice with the shape of Leon's body inside it. He was banging against the Water Encapture shell, but wasn't able to get out. WHAT! No...Damn! They got Leon!
The two men Asuki was now facing let their fixed posture release and stood by the large ball, which contained Leon, still banging against the walls. Asuki could see Leon screaming, but could hear no sound. Leon pointed behind Asuki, and the three waterbenders in identical coats were all running towards him, five meters away.