S17 - Able Charge

A fifth of the distance traversed. Toph raised the Earth around them to provide elevation and cover, three layers of walls and small watchtowers with smooth slides for safe escape. She deepened her concentration. Bending applied to all aspects of movement, not just the martial steps. Even running could betray the kind of Bender you were. But when she studied this man's sprint, how loud he was as his legs exploded with every stride, she couldn't identify any Bending style, or even any derivation of a Bending style. He either practiced some incredibly obscure Bending form, or he wasn't a Bender at all.

He was almost here. Toph reinforced the walls. He'd reached the point where if she yelled, he would probably hear her. She opened her mouth to tell him to slow down, calm down or else she would have to force him, but before she could say anything he skid to a halt, whipped his arm back, dagger in hand and—

Wait. Dagger? When did he have a dagger? He didn't have a dagger before so when did he—

He whipped it forward, and suddenly, Sokka was no longer in one contiguous piece. For a brief second, as the seismic waves traveled up his body, the jagged blade was lodged in his throat and it was gone again in the split second that Sokka fell, gurgling, head hanging onto his body by just a thread of peeling neck, he tumbled backward, down the slide, the slick blood seeped into the earth, and Toph felt like the blood was smeared on her.

"Sokka!" said Katara. She ran down the tower just at the moment that it collapsed. The beast of a ban shoulder pressed his way through one, two, three layers of stone. His breath was ragged, heavy, in and out, but Toph knew it wasn't fatigue. He laughed.

- Season 17 Round 0, /u/Ragnarust