The Sights and Sounds of the City

Nhala approached the gates. Night had fallen.


"Halt! Who goes there?" The voice of a guard sounded. Nhala only half expected it.


"Uh, hello, sir. I'm a traveler. May I enter the city?" Nhala asked meekly as the guard approached her position on the city's bridge.


"You may not. The city is off-limits to outsiders."


"Oh. Okay. May I ask why?" Nhala asked with quiet curiosity.


"The King's orders. No one may come or go from the city. It is on lock-down."


"Oh." Nhala broke her gaze to look at the ground in defeat. "Is... Is there somewhere I may camp?" The guard nodded, and pointed away from the city. Nhala understood, and turned to leave. "Thank you for your assistance. Have a good night." Nhala muttered as she left.


It didn't feel right, Nhala noted as she turned off the path. The city of Omashu was renowned for it acceptance of outsiders with open arms. Especially by their estranged king, Bumi. And while Nhala was one to abide by the laws... most of the time, often not to her own better judgment, she felt compelled to enter.


The night was dark. Dark enough that she could barely see in front of her, and yet, at the same time, the silhouette of the city stood black before her, calling her, taunting her. But she didn't have a way in. Nhala thought for a moment. Maybe she didn't need to find a way in. Maybe she she just had to find a way over. Nhala pulled her water skin into view. She should have enough water to pull it off.

Nhala approached the bridge under the cover of darkness. Tonight was a very dark night, and was perfect for sneaking into the city. Nhala withdrew the water from her water skin, and laid it against the bricks of the bridge.


Nhala was beginning to have doubts, but knew she would not get into the city unless she pushed past her fear. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled a cool air on the water, turning it to a trail of ice. Nhala tested its strength, and found it to be sturdy. Taking a good grip, she suspended herself over the edge, and began to move across it, whipping water from one side, to the next so she might continue along.


Handhold after handhold, she hefted herself across. And it was a long bridge too, it seemed, and after a whole ten minutes, Nhala was tired. But she was on the other side. Perhaps she could have deceived the guards by leaping off the bridge with a rock as her ploy? She might have lured them off the bridge, or even got them to open the gates for her. Meanwhile, she could hang beneath the bridge, much like she was now. With every handhold, her ice was slowly melting. But even more important than the longevity of her waterbending, was her hands. They were beginning to cramp at the fingers, making it almost painful to climb. But, she was beyond the point of no return now, unless she wanted to be hauled into prison, where she would likely go without enough fluids to waterbend beyond the amount of water needed to survive. Surely she would not be able to break out of a prison controlled by earth benders.


Nhala had to end her break, and begin up the wall. She hated to begin her ascent so close to the guards, but she was growing weary of the climbing.


Re-gripping the wall, Nhala whisked the water to the next section, and created a foothold, and a handhold. Stepping onto one, she climbed tot he next, and whisked her old foothold away to create a new handhold. Periodically, she would create a ledge of ice to give herself time to rest. The pattern went on this way for another thirty minutes, and Nhala began to fear the ice might break. But at last, she reached the top, splashed the water onto the top of the wall, hauled herself up and over, and retrieved it into her water skin.


Nhala would take a brief respite before her climb down. She hoped no guards would come by while she rested.

"Who goes there?!" A voice rang out. Nhala jumped in surprise, and knew her break was over. Opening her water canteen again, she poured it over the edge of the wall, into the city, and rolled over the edge. With a wave of her hand and a cool breath, the water froze tot he wall, and acted as a handhold for her fall. Melting it free, she repeated the process all the way down the wall until finally, she reached the ground.


"Finally. Now to find a place to sleep for the night before the guards catch me." Nhala crept from the wall and into the empty streets of the city, sticking to the shadows, looking for an inn.