𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐑𝐒

#.. TWENTY-FIVE

"you shouldn't have sent seungmin away" was the first thing gunil remarked as jooyeon entered the newly created council.

it consisted of the remaining water tribe leaders, gunil and hyeongjun. hearing that, jooyeon wanted to turn around again.

"a tribe has lost their leader due to his inability to control himself" he tried to state coldly, staring at the table. "it was the only plausible way."

but gunil shook his head. "he'll tell them your plan" he stated, sitting up straight and putting his hands on the table.

he was holding hands with hyeongjun, the latter sitting there as serious as ever. "we don't know how seungmin is coping with everything. but there is a possibility that our plan and our warriors are endangered."

jooyeon sighed. of course they were right, seungmin could have told king oh about the plans.

the fifteen year old sighed, rubbing his temple, and the eastern water tribe leader immediately answered.

"we should risk it" the woman spoke, leaving gunil and hyeongjun stunned. "we either lose soldiers but win, or do nothing and lose."

gunil shook his head, ready to debate. hyeongjun felt how gunil got tense, his hand squeezing hyeongjun's tighter, his leg started bouncing.

"maybe we should not" he started nicely. "we're talking about human life's here. and as the general, i will not lead my troops into a death trap."

the woman scoffed. "i knew you children had no actual sense of war. it means that many people will die. thousands of families will lose their members, and even more will die if we wont stop the earth soldiers.

besides, they might be human, but your soulmate is not. he might be the key to victory."

both hyeongjun and gunil looked at each other in shock. even jooyeon knew that the water tribe leader said something the airbender is not okay with.

while hyeongjun just furrowed his brows, his lips parted in shock, gunil slammed his hands on the table and stood up, angered.

"i will not allow it that you use hyeongjun as a weapon!" he shouted. "don't forget that we're still children, goddammit!"

the waterbender looked unfazed. "you might be children, but you experienced the brutality of the earth kingdom.

i can't believe you're still thinking about- about unnecessary stuff like that!"

time felt like it just stopped. for a few moments, gunil really didn't look like himself, suddenly so aggressive.

then he took a deep breath, hyeongjun tugged on the sleeve of his shirt. "that's okay" he muttered, pulling gunil to sit down and kissing his cheek.

"permission to speak, ma'am?" "permission granted, hyeongjun."

the latter sat up and brushed through his hair. "i'm in. but we have to proceed as soon as possible - i only have two weeks left on earth."

these news surprised the two waterbenders. and jooyeon was also thrown off of his authoritative figure, returning to the caring friend he was.

"what do you mean you only have two weeks-"

someone suddenly bursted inside the hut, in a rush. before jooyeon was able to ask about the reason, it was instantly blurted out.

"a platoon of earthbenders stormed the village, sir. they captured the other airbender for committing war crimes!"

gunil immediately rushed towards the man in shock, his brows furrowed. "what do you mean 'captured'?!"

"they were disguised as waterbenders. we all saw that undefined ship coming closer and closer, when they threw off their disguise, knocked out the airbender and got on the ship.

any try to save him was impossible. i fear these earthbenders were direct generals of king oh."

gunil turned around to face the other three. he knew he shouldn't act out of emotion, but he saw no other choice.

"i'm taking my troop to the earth kingdom this evening."