THE OTHER AIRBENDER (Book 2)

(XVII) Earth

"Once I whip up some cover, you're not going to be able to see. So, stay close to me," Toph instructs. I don't even have the time to express how much I hate this plan before she earthbends a huge dust cloud towards the drill. "Run!"

I hurry after the others as fast as I can, taking advantage of the camouflage the dust provides for us. I know better than to think it'll fool them for long. Toph seems to recognize the look on my face, though, because she then uses her bending to open up a hole in the ground and gestures for us to jump in.

"Everyone into the hole!"

The only worse thing than being forced to fly thousands of feet above the ground on a flying bison is to be forced underground, with limited oxygen supply and in complete darkness. The worst part of it, is that I'm almost a hundred percent sure I'm next to Sokka, who hasn't taken a bath in who knows how long.

"It's so dark down here, I can't see a thing!" Of course Mr. Idea Guy is the first to complain.

"Oh no, what a nightmare!" Toph retorts sarcastically.

"Sorry."

"Ouch! Quit pushing!" I complain.

"Hey! Who stepped on my toe?" Sokka complains as well.

"Stop being such crybabies and follow me," Toph commands, and we follow the sound of her voice, until we finally reach an opening on the ground above us. "Coast is clear. Come out!"

Sure enough, we end up right under the drill. Aang gestures for me to jump after him to reach a bar that connects with the opening of the drill. However, even though both Sokka and Katara jump right inside, Toph doesn't even flinch.

"Toph, come on!" Sokka urges her.

"No way am I going in that metal monster. I can't bend in there. I'll try to slow it down out here," Toph declares.

"You can't stay out here on your own!" Aang retorts worriedly.

"I'll stay back here with her. Besides, my airbending won't really help you guys do any destruction to the drill," I offer, making Aang nod.

"Okay, but be careful."

I jump back out of the drill, and I watch the others enter the drill quickly. Toph uses her bending to raise a wedge of rock into the drill, but it does little to stop the machine. I do my best to use my glider to air slash some tubes I find around us. However, they do little to no damage to the drill at all. It's clear now that the only way to stop this is with Sokka's plan actually working out.

"Come on, Twinkle Toes, hurry up!" Toph yelps out, clearly struggling.

"It's no good, Toph. They have to pull it off from the inside," I tell her, alarmed. Suddenly, I hear Katara and Sokka's panicked screams from the other side of the drill. "I think they're out!"

Toph and I hurry around the drill, going all the way to the back of the drill. We find Katara using her waterbending to clog the mud drain behind the drill. It takes me a few seconds to realize just what she is doing, until It realize it's genius.

"Katara!"

"Alya! Toph!" Katara greets us, as she waterbends Sokka into the mud, probably as a consequence for how annoying he can be.

"You guys need some help?" Toph offers, and Katara nods.

"Toph, help me block this drain. Alya, there's a vent on the side, you think you can stop the hot air from leaving?"

"You got it," I say, and we all get to work on overheating the drill.

Holding back the hot air is a little tougher than I thought. Even though hot air is a lot lighter than cold air, it's also a lot more unpredictable. I'm certain Aang would know how to bend it more properly, but I manage to contain the air with most that I know. Thankfully, as soon as Toph joins Katara's efforts to clog the drain, Ty Lee vanishes into the tube without much difficulty.