The Tower's Final Dirge

A tall boy of 16 stood on a glacier, on the edge of the Northern Water Tribe. On the side of the kingdom, they had built a tall watchtower, standing at a proud 3 quarters of a mile in height. Built from strong ice, and reinforced on the inner layer with iron (with the help of Metalbenders), this tower was a proud new testament to the dedication of the Water tribe. The glacier that Tsumi, for of course it was he, stood on was the third-closest solid object to the new Water Tribe Tower. Tsumi had every intention of challenging himself, by climbing up the outside of this tower.

Tsumi had an addiction to climbing, and never backed down from a challenge. So of course, when the proclamation of the tower’s completion went out, Tsumi could hardly resist. Honestly, this tower was the only reason Tsumi was even here, in the most secluded place on the planet. This tower was going to be Tsumi’s greatest challenge yet. The plan was simple: Climb along the outside walls, using some blades he had adapted, to fit under his wrist. Should he be seen, he would need to use his sword, which was currently sheathed on his back, to climb faster. The outcroppings of spare boards on the outside, along with some of the iron that stuck out, would make it easier to ascend this hulking beast of a tower. Once he reached the top, he would take a short break, and then cut a small hole in the railing of the balcony at the top. From here, he would make his mark on the wall, proving that he had conquered this challenge, and then he would make his escape, by jumping.

Simple, yet elegant, truly. Only one more glacier stood in Tsumi’s way, which would be over soon enough. Tsumi began to walk toward the final glacier (for it was connected to the one Tsumi stood on) with aspiration in his heart. Tsumi’s heart began to race, and thus, the red Z on his chest began to glow. “Watch out there, you might get too excited.” Chimed in the voice of Z, the consciousness of Tsumi’s past life. “Well, of course I’m excited! This is the biggest challenge of my life, plus we’ve been preparing for the last two months. Those blades DID take awhile to make…” Tsumi said to Z, internally.

Tsumi reached the peak of the final glacier, where he looked up at the menacing tower that stood before him. He pointed his finger at the tower, and shouted “You won’t beat me, tower! I’m coming for you, and there’s nothing you can do!”

Tsumi climbed up the tower, next to the man, who had challenged his climbing skill. Up the tower he went, the smell of sweat contaminating the heated air between Tsumi and this unnamed man. The tower seemed nearly unyielding, it’s icy surface threatening to collapse, or throw one off at the slightest mistake.

Tsumi turned to the man who was climbing next to him. This man’s stance was one not unlike Tsumi’s own. The way he climbed, the look in his eye… This man had a dream. And judging by the way he climbed, his dream was probably at the top of the tower, just like Tsumi. Strange, how two complete strangers could be so much alike. Heck, they could even be related. Maybe Distant cousins or something. Anyway, Tsumi knew where his heart lay, and he knew how important climbing this tower was to the hereafter named “Dreamer-man”. As they reached the top, Tsumi found himself ahead. He stopped, one step from the top, and turned to the man. “It’s not my place to crush your dreams, go on ahead… he said, looking the man right in the eye, as he drew nearer…

They reached the top, realizing their dreams together. However, a man who was less-than-dreamlike was waiting at the top. “So, you two have finished one challenge, But you will not survive the next!” The strange looking man prepped himself for battle, as did Tsumi.

“Whoever you are, you have no reason to go after my life, or this nice man!” Tsumi said, defensively. “Even more so, picking random fights with adventurers? That’s just not right! They could take an arrow in the knee! AND THEN WHAT!?” Tsumi took a deep breath, realizing he was getting worked up. “If you wanna fight, I’ll give you what you desire. But I do think we should take this somewhere we wouldn’t hurt such fine architecture…” Said Tsumi. gesturing to the open air just in front of the balcony. He felt like he was forgetting something…

Ah, yes! Tsumi took out his Stained Soul (his favored sword), and made the mark of a Z in the tower’s overhang, where everyone could see it. His signature… well, signature. Tsumi gestured toward the edge of the balcony, toward the open air. He hoped that the stranger understood what he was proposing. “Shall we go?”

In a sudden rush of Metagaming, Tsumi was suddenly knocked off of the tower. He fell for about a meter, and caught himself by Firebending from his feet. This fire kept him aloft, however, he still had to save the man, who he had just learned was a Lightbender. Tsumi got closer to the winged Shadowbender, and fired his hidden blade from it’s socket, catching the man’s left wing. Even should he dissipate the wing, he would still be pulled down by Tsumi’s next move, which was a sudden pull downward.

Tsumi flew downward, reaching out for the lightbender’s hand, as he (hopefully) kept the Shadowbender in tow with his hidden blade. “Grab my hand! We can fight him together!” Tsumi shouted, trying to overcome the rushing wind that gravity caused.