Chapter Twenty-Three:
The group had escaped Omashu without Arata. They sat around the camp they had set up. "Where could Arata be?" asked Kaze.
"Should we go back to Omashu and find him?" Tetsu asked.
"I don't know if we should risk it." Genji remarked.
"We aren't leaving him." said Sela.
"Quiet" Gansu said. "I feel something coming."
The group silenced and waited. They say a couple of men walking towards them. They hide and waited. "So where are the Avatar's friends?" one of them asked.
"Surprised they made it out of Omashu. Man that was hectic." the other replied.
"Looks like we got to get rid of them ourselves."
"I think they are right here."
The men stared at the camping supplies, fanned out, and dropped into bending stances. Tetsu and Gansu put up walls so they would not escape. The men drew water from flasks, but Kaze blew it away.
Sela and Genji snuck behind them and knocked them out. Sela tied them up with bolas "Where is the Avatar?!" she demanded.
The men did not answer. Sela grabbed one of them and lifted him against the wall. "Arata the Avatar. Where is he? Where did Arashi take him?"
"Guys." Kaze said. "These guys aren't White Lotus. There stances and the way they dress are familiar. They're Southern Water Tribe."
"What would the Southern Water Tribe want with Arata? Sela asked.
"We will have to find out." said Tetsu.
"Unfortunately this is where we part ways." said Gansu. "I thank you for helping me when I needed it, but know my debt is repaid."
"But you can't go back to Omasu." Kaze said.
"I won't." he said. "Omashu is no longer my home."
A man walked nervously down the hall. He stepped into a large open room. In the center of the room was a large ice thone, and on the throne was the ruler of the Southern Water Tribe Visola. Surrounded her throne was a group of men who were her closest advisors. Visola spoke to them about the current situation.
The man cleared his throat and spoke. "Lady Vis..."
Visola stopped speaking and stared directly at him. "Did you interrupt me?"
"I..."
"Did you consider the idea of speaking while I am speaking?"
"But I..."
"Did you have the audacity to raise your voice in my presence before I acknowledged your pithy existence?"
"There is.."
"Did you dare to believe yourself worthy to come before my presence without humbling yourself before me?"
"I need to..."
Suddenly the man's arm twisted into odd angles. Visola lifted her hands and the man hovered into the air. She waved her finger and the man's limbs contorted into knots. She stared at him with a twisted grin. The men surrounding her throne watched intently while the rest of the people in the room tried to subtly look away.
Visola pulled her hands apart and there was a sickening popping sound. The man fell to the ground limply.
Another man walked into the throne room. Visola stared at him. "Noa, you have the nerve to return here after your failure. I showed you to much mercy by not killing you on the spot." She motioned to the body that was being carried out of the room.
"And I thank you very much for doing so." Noa said. "In your infinite mercy you granted me a second chance. I assure you I have not taken that chance lightly. I brought you something for you that might peak your interest."
"What?!" Visola demanded.
"I have the Avatar."
Visola leaned in and rubbed her hands together. "The Avatar! What a fun toy for me to play with."
"Lady Visola" complained an advisor. "To capture the Avatar and bring him here, Noa must have abandoned his post."
"Your right." she replied. "You go there. Get a boat ready."
The advisor walked out of the room and shouted orders at some soldiers to gather his belongings.
"It seems like I have an open slot for you." said Visola. "You can have your old position back."
"Oh thank you so much." Noa replied. "It's good to be back."
The guards took me down a flight of steps into a cold clammy dungeon. They walked me down a hall of cells, and then opened one up. The guards lifted up a set of chains attached to the wall and attached them to my chains. "Lady Visola will come to inspect you shortly."
Visola approached my cell and looked at me carefully. "Avatar Arata, it's so great to finally meet you. We going to have so much fun."
She swiped her hand and my hand swiped too. She waved her hands up and down and mine did the same. I held my arms out as far as I could, hoping to hold them tense. Visola pushed on them harder and the strain became unbearable. My arms broke loose and went out of my control.
She waved them around, laughing all the while. Then slammed my fist into my face. It hit my nose and lips repeatedly. Each time it stung and Visola laughed again. "Your such a fun toy. I have so many toys, but having the Avatar is so much better."
I groaned in pain "Oh you don't like this." Visola said mockingly. "Then run away."
Visola forced my legs to swing back and forth, like I was running. "Run Avatar run."
My legs waved wildy under me, and I tried again to hold them stiff. Each time she waved her hands, my legs moved with them, but I fought back harder. Visola kept pushing, getting increasingly frustrated.
Visola shoved her hands forward and slammed me into the wall "Your!" She shoved again, causing me to spasm. "No!" She pulled her hands forward and I fell to the floor. "Fun!"
I lied limply on the ground. My whole body felt sore. I glanced up and Visola, hoping she would not try to "play" with me more. I knew I could not resist anymore.
But Visola was to frustrated. She stormed off in a huff. As she walked away, she casually shoved both prisoners and guards alike.
The last thing I wanted was for her to "play" with me again. I pulled at the chains. Platinum of course. I yanked again, trying to rip them off the wall but they would not budge.
I took a depth breath and blew, forcing the air behind me. The blast launched me forward, pulling the chains taught but they would not give.
I sighed, feeling defeated. If only I could go into the Avatar state again. How exactly did I do it. I slumped down to the floor again, wondering how I would escape this mess.