.2 The King of Omashu

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Aang woke up alone, worried for his new friends and the challenges he knows he must face. Guards forced him out of the chamber, staying quiet and revealing no information.

Katara, Iskra and Sokka were woken earlier than him, told to stay silent or the avatar would face consequences. The guards escorted them through the same boring hallways they had yesterday, stopping in front of a dead end.

Iskra could feel an open path on the other side of this 'dead end' but she stayed silent. As expected, the wall dropped in front of them and revealed The king and Aang talking.

"So I will give your friends some special souvenirs," The king looks to them, staring directly at Iskra as he winks. "Those delightful rings are made of pure genomite, also known as: creeping crystal."

The guards placed rings on Katara, Sokka and Iskra's fingers, watching as they moulded around each finger, fitting to the correct size.

"It's a crystal that grows remarkably fast, by nightfall your friends will be completely covered in it. Terrible fate really. I can stop it, but only if you cooperate," He blackmails Aang.

Iskra could easily break the rings off their fingers and stop all of this, but the offer the king proposed was too great to turn down. She'd plan to step in if anyone actually got hurt, but for now she stayed back.

"It's already creeping!" Sokka screams before turning to face Iskra. "Can you stop it?"

She looks at the king and he raises his brows, testing her. Slowly her head shakes, closing her eyes promptly and Sokka groans.

"I'll do what you want," Aang agrees.

"Hmm," The king hums, clearly planning something.

After living in Omashu for 5 years, Iskra has heard rumours about the king. But those rumours claim he's strong and mighty, this king is weak and fragile.

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In the first challenge, Aang had to retrieve the kings lunch box key that was dangling in a rapid waterfall with powerful water pressure. His second challenge was to identify the kings pet: flopsy, although it sounded easy, Aang had to think differently to complete each challenge.

"Your final test is a duel, and, as a special treat you may choose your opponent," The king tells Aang.

Everyone stood in a large room made entirely of rock and earth, perfect for an earth bending battle, Iskra thought.

A tall, confident man stepped forward, weapons dangling on him like they were an extension of his body as he smirked wildly at Aang.

An even larger man built entirely of muscle , wearing spiky boulder pads and carrying a 7 foot ax rumbled the ground with each step he took to stand beside the King.

"Point and choose," the King says plainly.

"So, your saying whoever I point to, that's the person I get to fight?" Aang double checks.

"Choose wisely," He smiles manically.

"I... choose?" Aang looks between the two men on either side of the frail king. "You," he points to the king.

"Wrong choice!" He laughs.

The kings bones crack as he straightens his horrid posture, muscular limbs begin to stretch out of the purple robe he wore before the king throws it on the ground, revealing his true form. The king was painted in muscles upon muscles with broad shoulders and heavy calves.

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