"Since the beginning of time the spirits have acted as guardians of our world and they have spoken to me. They say the Avatar has failed humanity. That is why the Spirits have choosen me to usher in a new Era of balance. They have granted me a power that would make equality a reality. The power to take a person's bending away.. Permanently"
...
Tarrlok didn't even bother to look at his brother when he was speaking. So many years lost and now here they were, finally together. Many questions came to mind but right now, all he could think of was that his own brother had taken away his bending just like he would with any other person. There was an awkward silence before the bloodbender spoke.
"You must have something to say brother" he ventured after what seemed like an eternity of silence . Tarrlok just sat in the corner of the cell and did his best to try and ignore his brother's voice. Amon sighed in resignation. "I'm truly sorry that it came to this but you must understand that there's so much at stake here. I couldn't let you run away with her. I promise everything will be different once my buisness in Republic Cityt is done." He looked at his brother once again, hoping for an answer but knew he wasn't getting one.
The bloodbender slowly walked away, hating to leave his brother in that dirty prison but things might look suspicious if he wasn't treated like all the other benders. His men were still shocked to see that Councilman Tarrlok was not getting the proper punishment after finding out the truth of what he was. Still, no one dared to question his orders of having the Councilman locked away in a private cell where no one was to enter except him.
Amon peeked inside his office before walking in and locking the door. There was a cold draft in that lonesome room where the Equalist leader stood facing the wall; his mind lost in thought as he blankly stared at the charts in front of him. The only warmth came from a set of candles that rested on a table near the entrance, illuminating a small part of that dark room but he stood in a dark corner where the light did not reach him. There was a knock at the door and he immediately knew who it was. Only one man was allowed in his main quarters.
"Come in Lieutenant."
He heard the door shut and the sound of boots approaching him, stopping at a reasonable distance. Although his leader was not looking at him, the Lieutenant still held a straight posture to show his respect. There were was a long period of silence. It was one of those occasions where the Lieutenant didn't know if it was wise to speak or wait to be given persmission. Amon sighed, knowing very well why he came "Something is bothering you. Speak up" The masked leader said ;a bit annoyed that he had been interrupted ,but then again, he knew this was important.
"Our men want to know when you will put and end to the Avatar. It's been months since that private encounter where you were supposed to take her bending. Some of our men are.." He paused searching for the right words."we are all wondering when you will take action. Two times you let her go. The last one was when Councilman Tarrlok held her captive."
Under the mask, a frown came to his face at the mention of his brother.
"which brings me to another subject. Why are you still holding that good for nothing waterbender captive? He's a filthy bloodbender and should be severly punished for what he is. Scum of the earth. He blood bended us all and.."
"Enough!" Amon said in a loud voice and raised his left hand to his temple. "Am I to understand you're questioning my methods Lieutenant? Did you not hear my words? If I take her bending now, it will only make her a martyr. No, it's to early for that. Some might even see it as an unfair fight and they're right. She's just a girl after all. A very stubborn girl who need to be taught a lesson. What I did was give her a taste of what awaits her. And she fears me Lieutenant. I could see it in her eyes." All this he said without even turning his head. "As for Tarrlok. I have already taken care of him. Now leave. Tell the men not to worry. I have a plan."
The Lieutenant looked at his leader with questioning eyes. He knew it was unwise to argue with him. "As you say so sir"
Amon turned to look at him and as he did, he took a good look at the the Lieutenant's shadow. In it, two yellow eyes appeared at the at the height of the head. Then, a familiar and unpleasant smell filled his nose. It was the scent of smoke and burning flesh. His lips twitched under the mask as he saw the dark shadow taking its true form.
The scent do not go unnoticed by the Lieutenant who raised his head when the unpleasant smell pierced his nose.
"Sir..that smell…" he began to say but Amon quickly interrupted. His eyes fell on the dark silhouette. In the blink of an eye, the shadow returned to its original form. "Leave Lieutenant. I have much to plan"
Not a second had passed when the click of the lock was heard that the candle's shadow began to morph right before his eyes again. When the transformation was complete, one large paw emerged from the wall and the wooden floor made a slight creaking sound when the claw touched the ground. Under the mask, blue eyes widen at the sight of the Dark Spirit's body taking a dimensional form. Amon took a step back as the creature crouched down on all fours and stared up at him. The yellow glow that left its eyes was intense and the bloodbender knew very well what that meant.
"You mustn't fear me unless you have bad news for me Amon." The spirit said in a voice so calm that only made him take another step back. The thing never talked in such a peaceful manner unless it was really angry. "But then again, I have watched your repeated failures to end the Avatar. You should know by now that I'm always watching and there is nothing you can't hide from me." The spirit paused to stand on its hind legs. "Son of Yakone, you better have a good explanation of why the Avatar still lives"
"You needn't worry Dark Spirit. I have a plan""Oh, but I do worry." the fiend said taking a step foward. Creak goes the floor as the heavy paws move. "I fear you might be letting the inner water tribe boy get in the way of the task. Don't get me wrong. It's been entertaining for me to watch you play your little games. I've even had my own little fun with the Avatar"
Amon raised his head. "What fun might that be?" he asked looking straight into the Spirit's eyes. "I've visited her in dreams taking your image" A grotesque grin appeared on the creature's face as it said this accompanied by a horrible shriek that, Amon knew too well, was intended as laughter. "Last time was a few days ago. She hides under the sewers with her friends, waiting for the United Forces to come to their aid."
"Spirit, I will not fail you. Just let me carry out my plan and in a couple of days, I will strip the Avatar of her power.""And then you will…" The Spirit paused so Amon could finish the sentence.
"We've been over this. I will not take the girl's life!" He soon regretted raising his voice at the creature. Claws dug deep into his skin as the Spirit picked him up from the neck and pushed him against the wall. "Have I not given everything to you? Did I not come to your aid when you were lost in that storm! I even kept a close watch on your dear mother at your request. Never in my life have I dedicate on taking care of a human being as I have your mother! All I ask in return is that you end her life!"
He shook Amon and the mask fell off his face revealing his handsome water tribe features. The Dark Spirit raised the other claw and dragged one long nail across his cheek. "Unless you want a real scar on that pretty face of yours, I highly suggest you do things my way. I made you what you are bloodbender and don't you forget that!"
There was a knock on the door.
"Amon?" The Lieutenant's voice was full of concern. "everything all right?"
The Spirit turned its head. "Everything is fine, Lieutenant" the beast replied using his voice.
"Sir, we heard noises…"
The fiend turned back to Amon and carefully placed him on the floor.
"Don't move" it said. And right in front of him, the Spirit took his image. It reached for the mask and placed it on his face. The bloodbender watched from the shadows as the creature opened the door and talked to the Lieutenant and two other men that stood behind him. His voice, gestures, everything the fiend said or did was was very well executed. No men would ever believe that this was not their leader, but a Spirit merely imitating a human.
Amon looked at the floor while the Spirit spoke to his men. Even after the door had shut, he kept his head down, not wanting to look up and cotinue their unfinished argument.
"Let me get this straight Son of Yakone"The Spirit said after shutting the door and walked toward him. The mask shook and immediately fell off its face, making a loud noise once it hit the floor. Amon looked up and found himself staring at the image of Aang. "You took your own brother's bending. The one person who trusted you the most, but you will not take the life of the Avatar?" The image of Aang evaporated and Korra now stood in front of him."Why?" she asked in her most innocent voice. "My very existence ruined your whole life Noatak. Your father held a grudge against me for taking away the one thing he loved and in return, raised both you and your brother to finish his work."
"Stop this" Amon begged.
The 17 year old Avatar took his face in her hands. "Both you and I know you wont be happy until you feel my heart stop in your hands and know that the Avatar will no longer exist."
Amon looked into those deep blue eyes and his mind traveled back to that day when his men forced her to kneel in front of him. He was so determined to make her enter the Avatar State and end her right there but once he saw how young and frightened she was, something happened. The water tribe boy he worked so hard on letting go came back. His former self told him all this was wrong.
"this is the path that will lead you to inner peace and yet you choose not to achieve it. Why?" the fiend asked.
Amon looked away which only made the Spirit lose its temper. "Answer me!" Still taking Korra's image, the spirit took Amon by the neck again and raised him from the floor. Under her hand, a small cloud of steam escaped and Amon felt like a thousand needles were sinking into his skin. His flesh burned under her grasp.
"You're a coward and a failure Amon. A filthy bloodbender who hides behind a mask. Both you and I know who will win at the end." She smiled up at him. He clasped his hands on hers, trying to release himself and as Amon looked down at her, years of hatred toward the Avatar came crawling back again.
The Spirit practically threw him to the other side of the room and when he looked up, Korra was no more. Instead, the black creature stared at him. "Have you had a chance to get acquainted with your brother?" it asked.
Amon shook his head.
"Why didn't you tell me it was my brother who captured the Avatar?""Had I made the decision to tell you, you never would've taken action. You did some quick thinking when taking away his bending. And no need to worry, you can restore it once your task is complete. Do not fail me Son of Yakone. Consequences will be severe and remember this, your mother is still at my care." And with those final words, the creature vanished.
~*~*It came as no surprise when Amon defied the Spirit again. ~*~
"Bloodbender, you will take the airbending family down"it hissed in his ear.
Amon squirmed under the fiend's grip.
"There are children involved!" he struggled to breathe as the claws tightened around his neck.
"And what makes you think I care!" It fumed at him. "I did not track them down just so you could let them walk away that easily!" The fiend sank its claws deep into his skin. "When I ask you to do something, you will get it done or so help me, I will force you!" It let out a horrid shriek.
"You are strong enough to take a physical form. Why not do it yourself?" He dared to ask.
"I do not need to justify myself, bloodbender. I want YOU to finish the job and you WILL do it, won't you Amon?" It paused and watched as Amon kept trying to fight his hold.
Pathetic, the Spirit thought as it watched him trying to fight back. Another disappointment like the fool Sozin and his son Azulon. Three generations had failed to end the 11 year old Avatar.
"Go" The Spirit threw him across the room. "Finish what you started and do not question my authority again. You do not want to get on my bad side."
Amon knew very well what the spirit was capable of doing. He'd seen it with his own eyes and had no power to fight against it. Taking down Tenzin, the son of Aang, was part of his revenge and he was a grown man who could fight. But the children…It didn't seem right…
Amon sighed. He was trapped.
"I apologize, Dark Spirit." He finally said. "I will do as you ask"
"I'll be watching you bloodbender." It said as it began to evaporate. The glow of its eyes was the last thing Amon saw before he reached for his mask.
It's almost over Tarrlok. It's almost over… he repeated over and over as he walked down the hallway and stepped into the platform. Already he could hear the people calling his name.
Once the platform stopped moving, he turned to the crowd and raised his left arm to salute his followers.
"Thank you all for joining me on this historic occasion" His greeting was followed by a story he knew by heart. A story the Dark Spirit had whispered years ago to win the sympathy of the people. All lies.
And it wasn't long before he heard a familiar voice in the crowd interrupt his speech. A voice he knew by heart. Amon looked up and saw as the girl took off the Equalist mask and called him by his true name.
She knows! "You want to take them out" Asked the Lieutenant.
"No" Amon took a step forward. This should be interesting.
"….Amon has been lying to you. The spirit didn't give him the power to take people's bending away. He uses bloodbending to do it."
How did she know this? Amon asked himself as Korra kept talking and revealed that he was Yakone's son and Tarrlok's brother. Behind him, the Lieutenants face froze. This last revelation made sense to him. Though locked away, Amon had given this man the fanciest cell to then have him transfered to air temple island. All this time the Lieutenant wondered why his leader had not disposed of this man like he had with others.
Amon had not expected the Avatar to know so many facts about his life, but he came prepared. The Spirit had warned him that the mask had to come off sometime. Be it in battle or by choice. The time had come to reveal his face.
The people gasped as they saw the horrendous scar that covered his face.
So it begins Avatar.
There was some relief as Amon watched Avatar Korra free the children and made their way out of the ring. Surely the Spirit would let this pass if he could just end her once and for all.
Amon didn't really need the bang of the door to lure him to Avatar Korra. One of the first lessons his father had taught them was to distinguish the blood coursing through someone's veins from a very long distance. And both the firebender's and Korra's heartbeat was strong. Very Strong.
As his thumb pressed into her forehead, Amon felt victory within his grasp. It was done. He had removed her power…permanently. Just like he said he would.
"I told you I would destroy you" "Fool!" The Dark Spirit's voice echoed in his head at the same time Korra tried to use her bending. "You didn't make her enter the Avatar State!"
But Amon no longer cared for the Spirit words.
It didn't seem enough to take away her bending. No, he would let her live with the shame and make her watch as he took all her friends bending as well. The firebender would be first.
"leave the firebender!" The Spirit cried out. "Concentrate on Avatar Korra!"
But it was too late. The Spirit watched as the firebender carried her away. And then the unexpected happened when it saw Korra defeat Amon with airbending.
Impossible! Amon had taken away her bending! How could this be!
The Spirit followed Amon back to air temple island. Surely he would think of some other way to end the girl.
But it was wrong. Amon freed his brother and the wraith saw as both fled into the night. The brothers stayed hidden, moving from place to place to place as the sounds of sirens filled the night. It would be risky to go back to one of his seceret lairs; even the ones the Equalist knew nothing about. All of them were being raided by the police and he couldn't risk being caught. They would only be separated found refuge in and old burned out house, victim of the war he brought to Republic City.
Tomorrow, Amon thought as he stared out the window. Tomorrow he and his brother would leave the City and start over.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*"What are you doing, Son of Yakone!" The Spirit seethed as it followed them in the small boat. Only Noatak was aware of its presence. "You will go back and finish her!"
"I did as you asked and took away her bending" he answer in a soft voice. "She's defenseless now and I think you will be able to handle her."
"That was not what we agreed!"
"We're done here" were his last words to the fiend.
The Spirit growled at his words. "So be it, bloodbender."
Neither of the brothers spoke for a while so Noatak used the silence between them to imagine their new lives in the Earth Kingdom. Throughout the years he had saved a reasonable amount of money for when this day came. They would send for their mother and the three of them could start over. A fine life style awaited them. Maybe each of them could start a family of their own. All his life had been focused on ending the Avatar, he had not given himself time to think of anything else. Now anything was possible.
The two of us together again" He finally spoke. There was so much joy in his voice. "There's nothing we can't do"
"Yes, Noatak"
"Noatak" It felt nice to hear his name spoken by his brother again. "I'd almost forgotten the sound of my own name"
Behind them, the Spirit heard every word. So you plan a new life, Noatak.
It turned to Tarrlok. The bloodbender was fool to think he could get away without paying the price for his betrayal.
"Lies" It whispered to Tarrlok. "Do you really think he'll give up that easily? He'll start hunting her again"
Tarrlok listened to the voice inside his head.
Will he?
"Yes. He will not stop untill she's dead and both of you will spend the rest of your lives on the run. Is that what you want?" Answered the Spirit. "But there is a way for both of you to be together and end this madness. The solution is right in front of you"
Tarrlok looked at his brother and then averted his eyes to the Equalist gloves. He took one in his hands. "Do it!" The creature said in a desperate voice. "Unless you want to be seperated again"
Tarrlok opened the lid. "It will be just like the good old days"
Yes, it will be brother.
Noatak silently promised as he turned to face Tarrlok. Then he froze. Behind his brother, the Dark Spirit gave him one last smile. "Goodbye, Sons of Yakone"
Noatak turned to Tarrlok and saw the glove in his hands. "Brother! No!" He reached out, but it was too late.
The Dark Spirit's eyes glowed with pleasure as it saw the last of the boat sink into the water.
**************"Tell me Noatak, are you willing to do as I say? I may ask of you things that may seem too cruel…"******************
"Spirit, I will do whatever it takes to bring down the Avatar" A fourteen year old Noatak held his gaze as he stared into the Dark Spirit's eyes. "Anything you ask, consider it done. I will not hesitate"
The Spirit stared into the boys eyes as he spoke. Yes, he was the one. So much hatred was locked within. "Very well child" The fiend hissed as it extended a paw. A yellow glow swirled around it and Noatak watched, fascinated as an apple appeared in the creature's hand. "Take this boy. You must be straving."
Noatak took the apple in his hands and stared at for a while. It had been days since he'd eaten something.
"Rise Son of Yakone. Let us get out of this storm" The wraith said after Noatak finished the apple. "Your father taught you well but there are still so many things one can do with bloodbending. I have much to teach you and by the time we're done, the Avatar will fear your name"
"But Spirit, my name does not inspire fear" Said the young waterbender as he followed the fiend.
"well then, we'll have to do something about that, won't we Noatak?"
Despite the rise of the sun, the wind was still strong; blowing in all directions. This did not stop boy and beast from walking side by side as a new day began.
"From now on you and I are like family, Son of Yakone. I will not let any harm come to you boy"