Avatar: shackled earth

The cliff's edge loomed before them, a jagged precipice that seemed to stretch into nothingness. Tomo's heart was pounding in his chest, and his hands shook as he gripped Ariya's arm, the cold, harsh wind whipping through their hair. The ground beneath them was no longer an option.

Ariya's eyes were wide with fear, her face pale as she looked down at the abyss that lay below. "Tomo… we can't… we can't…"

Tomo's thoughts swirled in a haze of fear and doubt, the weight of his decision pressing down on him. We're going to die, his mind screamed, but there was no time for hesitation now.

The firebenders had recovered from the gust. Their shouts filled the air, and the crackling of flames echoed behind them. The firebenders raised their hands, gathering energy for another fireball. The heat from it was unbearable, even from a distance. The attack came fast, too fast.

Now or never. Tomo's voice was hoarse as he met Ariya's gaze, her eyes full of terror.

"Tomo—" she gasped, but he cut her off, his face hardening with determination.

"Trust me. Please, Ariya."

Without waiting for a response, he pulled her toward the edge, the fireball closing in. The force of the flames was unbearable, but Tomo steeled himself, clenching his teeth, preparing for what was to come.

He felt the heat on his back just as he reached the precipice, and for a split second, time seemed to slow. There was a cold pit in his stomach, a terrifying realization that he was about to jump into the unknown.

But as his feet left the edge, the world went silent for a heartbeat.

For a brief moment, the air was cool and calm around them. There was nothing but the rush of wind and the sickening drop beneath their feet. Tomo's heart thudded against his ribs, each beat a drum of pure panic. He could hear Ariya's scream beside him, the sound of her terror slicing through his own.

The wind rushed past them, the deafening noise of their fall surrounding them like a storm.

Tomo, don't fail now, he thought desperately, his mind scrambling for a way to stop their fall, to do something. His hands were still raised, the air swirling around them, and yet, the gust he had called upon before was no longer within his grasp.

No! His desperation surged. I can't let her die!

He closed his eyes for a brief moment, hands shaking, his stomach turning. His body screamed with the terror of the fall, the sensation of weightlessness making it feel like they were spiraling into nothing. The ground was so far below.

He clutched onto the hope that the wind would catch them. The wind— the air was his only ally now, his only weapon.

Ariya was still screaming, her arms flailing as the wind swept them downward. She tried to clutch onto him, but the force of their fall was too much. They were too fast.

The fireball exploded behind them, sending a burst of heat and light that nearly blinded Tomo. He turned just in time to see a flicker of the flames licking the air where they had once stood, feeling the heat from the blast nearly singeing his clothes.

Come on… Tomo's mind screamed as he tried to focus on his airbending, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. He stretched out his hands as far as they could go. Please, please, let it work.

He prayed, more desperately than he had ever prayed before.

To the winds. To the gods. To anything that would listen.

The air beneath them seemed to respond, slowly at first, then with a sharp gust that wrapped around them, pulling them away from the heat of the fireball and the deadly drop. The wind surged in front of them, just as the ground rose up to meet them, threatening to tear their bodies apart.

Tomo focused, drawing from the last of his energy, and as the rush of air built, it became a wall in front of them. He could feel it now, the force of the wind fighting against the pull of gravity, fighting against the chaos of their descent.

They were slowing. Slowing just enough.

And then—CRASH!

The wind finally met the water, and with a deafening splash, they hit the surface of the river below. The impact was jarring, a wave of cold that slammed into them like a wall. Water rushed into Tomo's lungs as he gasped, his body flailing as he tried to stay above the surface.

The river was violent, the current pulling them with savage strength. Tomo's arms flailed, his vision blurred as he fought against the current. The water churned around him, dragging him further downstream. His thoughts were a jumble, the cold seeping into his bones, and for a moment, he was sure they were both done for.

Ariya was beside him, gasping for air as she struggled to stay afloat, her hands grasping for anything to hold onto. She was barely conscious, but she was alive. We're alive, Tomo thought, even as panic gripped his chest.

The water was icy, biting at his skin, but they had survived the fall. Barely.

Tomo kicked his legs frantically, his arms aching from the strain, but the river was relentless. It twisted and turned, pulling them deeper into its wild currents. He could feel Ariya slipping from his grip as the river's power swept them further away from where they had fallen.

He turned to her, reaching for her, his hand closing around her wrist just as the current tried to pull her under. Her face was pale, her breathing shallow, and for a moment, he feared that she had already given up.

But she still clung to him. Still tried to fight against the water's pull.

Tomo dragged them both toward the riverbank, using every ounce of energy left in him. His breath came in ragged gasps, his chest aching from the effort. He couldn't stop. He couldn't let her go.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, their feet touched something solid—rock, sand, anything that wasn't water. They collapsed onto the shore, gasping for air, their bodies shivering from the cold.

But they weren't safe yet. Not by a long shot.

From the distance, they could still hear the firebenders. The echoes of their search. The sound of their voices carried on the wind.

The firebenders had not given up.

And they were still looking.