The Call For a Master

As the Masters fell into place before him, Nelekar felt oddly humbled. All of these masters lining up to train him - for the first time in his short life, the true realisation of his position of Avatar came into focus. All of these masters respected him, yet he had done nothing other than be born. But he would prove himself. He would make them proud.

"Well, I'm not really sure how to choose..." Nelekar said, scratching his head. Fortunately, the Old Master stepped in to offer guidance.

"As you are the Avatar, perhaps you could pose a challenge to the masters - choosing one on looks alone would be suitably foolish."

Nelekar nodded at the advice, before stepping forward. Gears seemed to whir in his mind as challenges popped into his head - one, however stood out from the rest.

Removing one of his wrist-bands, Nelekar threw it into the air. He stepped back, before positioning himself in a familiar waterbending stance. As the wristband began to fall, his body began to flow like the tide, and a pillar of ice came up to meet it. It moved as though water, absorbing the band into it until it rested deep within the clear ice.

"Erm, how about this for a challenge? Try and get the wristband out?"

Many of the olden men chuckled out loud at this challenge. The burly man boomed with laughter and he flexed his huge muscles before exclaiming, "I won't even have to waterbend to do this!" And he laughed once more with his arrogent voice. However, the skinny man pulled on the brutes blue cloth, and he began to speak in an annoyed tone, "Aren't you forgetting something?" The brute, at first, looked at his counterpart with ignorance. However, he soon stared at the pillar, and then to his feet. The skinny man smiled triumphantly. The humble master spoke, again with warmth, "Indeed, like the tides, the wristband has flowed with the ice as one. Any attempt at forceful removal will result in......an eradicated accessory." With this he smiled at the avatar with approval. The other men too soon realized the dilemma. The brute stood there motionless. There was an entire minute of just utter, complete, and total silence. Just as whispers had begun, so had the "attempts". Some had tried to hack the ice, others tried bending. However, all eventually gave up in fear or submission. Then, an unruly old master began to rant in an annoying voice, Well why don't we wait until the ice melts?! What kind of challenge is this?" Another rather irritated old man responded, "We'd be here for months, and then what would be the point of the challenge?" The crowd began to bicker louder and louder, and a fight was starting to seem probable. The humble master sighed while rubbing his forehead. Yet, in the midst of the mounting chaos, Kaedar had pushed past the group. Without even thinking he reached for the encased band, and prepared to break a chunk of the ice off. "May I?" (Implied response from Nelekar, NOT godmodding or metagaming). The 17 year old then broke the chunk of ice containing the band. He then calmly walked out of the building, and the bewildered old men followed with curiousity. The humble man looked up and smiled with relief and sastisfaction. Kaedar soon reached the edge of the bay. The old men quickly huddled around him, their eyes were wide with yearning. The young prodigy gently placed the ice on the deep blue water. The ice bobbed up and down ad if Kaedar was trying to fish with it. Then, with a gentle motion of his hand, the ice sank. Kaedar assumed a relaxed waterbending stance, and as his hands moved, so did the water as the tide shifted ever so slightly. Everyone was aghast when the headband came forth from the water. Kaedar merely smiled and began to walk towards the avatar. The brute spoke in utter shock," But....but......how?" Kaedar smiled, and he bowed slightly before opening his hand to the young avatar. His voice was calm, yet "surprising". (READ BACKGROUND) Kaedar rarely spoke, and he had very few friends. His lonliness was seen in the past by many, as well as his unique skill. "I believe this belongs to you?"

Nelekar grinned, holding out his hand to take the wristband. He slid it back up his arm slowly, taking time to examine the young waterbender.

He was nothing like the other Masters - that much was for certain. But there was a certain air around him, a certain feeling that the Avatar got - some kind of spiritual connection. He smiled, before extending a hand fo a handshake.

"Looks like I'm your new pupil, Master," Nelekar said, bowing low to the waterbender. As he rose, he smiled gently. "Where shall we begin, Master? Where shall we go?"

Kaedar's expression grew concerned and worried. He hastefully drew his attention to the humble master, clearly showing his concern. The master merely looked back at hims with the still warm expression. However, the master nodded and understood the hint. Without a word the two briskfully rushed back to the building and locked the door behind them. Kaedar began to speak in a more comfortable tone, the humble master obviously being a more trusted individual. "You can't be serious. I can't train the avatar, i'm only seventeen! I'm not even old enough to take on a mere novice! I...I...I....I cant do this...this is a mistake.....i cant....i" Kaedar began to pace back and forth, and the master's expresson did not change, and he grabbed the young prodigy by the shoulders, and spoke to him clearly, "Kaedar, dont ignore the fact that you have a gift. Ive seen you battle and prevail over masters who have spent their entire life mastering the art of Waterbending. You outwitted every master here today by retrieving that band. If i didnt feel that you were ready for this moment, i would have spoken up. Do you doubt my decision?" Kaedar began to calm himself, and he spoke once more, "I...no master. Its not that that im worried about....its my father." Kaedar looked gloomily at his feet, but the humble man did not faulter. THe humble man, still, after all this time, warm in his expression, "While I do admit your father is a somewhat.....unique man, I do believe it is your choice for whom you train." The warm elder raised a familiar eyebrow, awaiting a response. Kaedar weakly responded, "But..." The warm man interrupted, "Kaedar, please, for once in your life, just let fate decide wont you?" Kaedar smiled at the words, and proudly opened the door. The two walked back towards the crowd. With renewed vigor and confidence, Kaedar said to the young avatar, "It would be an honor to train you." Kaedar bowed respectfully.....