DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything about the Legend of Korra, other than Seraphina in this story...
Chapter 1: Captured!
The smug smirk that plagued her grotesque face morphed into an evil grin, showing her pointed teeth which fit in perfectly with her blazing red eyes. Her bright green hair was shaved to a thin boyish cut, with only a strand that ran down to cover her left eye. She was covered in scratches oozing crimson blood and bruises that swelled like a balloon. Her shirt was torn slightly at her shoulders, with an area around her stomach looking charred and burned, the result of a blast of fire.
The environment around her seemed as though it had seen better days. Earth was upturned every few metres or so, soft fires burned their life away in dry bushes, and the nearby pond was dried up, its water splashed everywhere.
A desperate battle had taken place here, and the only one standing was the deadly villain. Seraphina.
Mako, Bolin and Asami laid unconscious, scattered in different areas around the battlefield. Each had fought bravely, but alas they had failed. Korra was struggling to hold onto her consciousness, and Seraphina cackled. Korra looked up at her, feeling extremely intimidated. Then Seraphina spoke, in a low menacing voice that sent shivers crawling up the Avatar's spine.
"It appears I have won! Don't you agree Avatar?"
Korra mustered up enough strength to shoot her a vicious glare, but Seraphina paid no mind.
"I must say I am considering what to do with you. I could take your life now, but you would not die broken. Perhaps, you could choose for me!"
Korra tried to hide the shock and surprise drifting onto her face, but it was no use.
"You can either die now, your dignity still intact, along with your three friends…or I can change the fate of all of you for now, your three friends will survive, and so will you".
Korra sighed. She knew which one she would prefer; however, she knew there was more to the second option than what she had said.
"What's the catch?"
Her voice was weak and soft, but the warning tone in it was loud and clear. Seraphina squinted.
"Any memory of you and your friends together will be erased, but, you would be the only one to remember. If you tell them any of these memories, they will die. They must figure it out themselves. If all of them do, you must find a glowing green stone in the snowy hills, outside of republic city. That will be the stone that will give them back their memories. If they get that far, we will have our battle again!"
Korra blinked, trying to take in the information she was given. She knew she had to take the second option, not for her life, but for her friends. She took in a deep breath and shakily rose to her feet. She had vaguely heard her three friends coughing throughout her conversation with Seraphina. They were almost gone.
"I choose the second option!"
Seraphina giggled. It was much more rewarding to break the avatar than get rid of her straight away.
"As you wish…You have 5 minutes to talk to them".
Korra stumbled over to Bolin first. She dropped to her knees and softly tapped him. His eyes opened slowly and connected with hers, which sent a lone tear down her cheek.
"K-Korra...? W-What's happening?"
"Don't worry you're gonna be fine…"
"I heard your conversation, you can't give up!"
Korra pulled him into a tight hug as tears streamed down her cheeks. She gripped him so tightly, she never wanted to let go. He slowly returned the hug, his own tears escaping him. Korra spoke softly and carefully, so she wouldn't break into a sob.
"You're the best friend I could ever have…"
"You too".
With that, Korra rose and went to Asami. Before she could even speak, Asami whispered to her.
"I heard you and Seraphina…Is it true?!"
Korra slowly nodded, before embracing her. Asami buried her head in Korra's shoulder, tears dripping onto her torn and dirty water tribe clothing.
"You are the best girlfriend the avatar could ask for!"
"And you are the most supportive friend I have ever had…thankyou"
The water tribe teen made her way over to Mako, a small feeling of sadness tugging in her stomach. She couldn't deny the sparks she felt whenever she was around, and now she was potentially saying goodbye. When she arrived, his eyes were full of regret and knowing. He pulled himself up into a sitting position and she practically collapsed next to him. No words needed to be said. They hugged, holding each other tight as Korra sobbed on his shoulder.
"I *hiccup* w-will always hold you i-in my h-heart…"
Mako smiled sadly.
"I always loved you Korra".
They were about to kiss, but a menacing voice cut in.
"Five minutes is up!"
Korra pulled herself up, with one last longing gaze at Mako, she stared down Seraphina. The avatar could feel three sets of eyes on her as Seraphina held out a green rock which glowed brightly.
"Care to do the honours avatar?"
Korra slowly took the rock and clasped her hands around it. By instinct alone, Korra changed into the Avatar state and traced her hands along every dent, every line, every crack in the rock and suddenly, the world became bright green. The ground and sky had disappeared and the only things she could see was her friends becoming consumed by the light, and Seraphina watching her intently. A feeling of regret and guilt washed over Korra. With all her might, she shouted at the green haired girl.
"WHY DO THIS?! WHY PUT ME THROUGH ALL THIS PAIN, ALL THIS HEARTBREAK?! WHAT WILL YOU ACHIEVE?! WHY NOT JUST DELAY OUR BATTLE?! WHY ARE YOU SO CRUEL!?"
The light seemed to consume the wrath and strength of her voice, softening it to only a whimper. Seraphina just laughed wickedly.
"It's the price of fate honey!"
Then, everything was gone.
Korra woke with a scream. Sweat covered her body and she was panting, hard. It had been two months since the day she learned the price of fate, and every day the nightmares haunted her. A ball of white fur gently nudged its head underneath her arm, clearly tired. Korra smiled softly as she sunk into the comfort of the white fur.
"It's okay Naga. Just another nightmare…You can go back to bed".
Naga licked her face then curled back up by the window. Korra sank back underneath the covers, but her mind was drifting. Since that fateful day, Korra had befriended Bolin and Asami again. But it wasn't the same. They didn't know their past.
Bolin still stayed in the fire ferrets, but a new fire bender was recruited. She didn't even know his name. Asami was still in future industries, working with her father. Mako…well Korra tried to deny it but the reality was too persistent. Mako had defected from Bolin and the fire ferrets before she could even make eye contact. He had gone on the wrong path, becoming one of the only benders apart of the equalists, and he was powerful.
Korra didn't fear him though…She pitied him. He was on the bad side, blinded by Amon's power and promise for equality.
Korra tossed and turned for another half an hour, before deciding she would go for a walk to clear her head. She threw the covers back and Naga raised her head but Korra murmured softly to her and she continued to doze. The teen crept out of the temple, and swam over to Republic City.
She had one place in mind to go. It was the snowy mountain area just outside of the city, it was a perfect area to relax and rid herself of her nightmares. She was prepared to face the growing number of equalists that dominated the streets at night. A good old fight was another way to clear her head, if the time came.
Remarkably, she managed to saunter her way to the lone road that led to the mountain without confronting an equalist, but Korra had a growing feeling that she was being watched. By the time she reached the top of the mountain with all the snow, she dismissed that feeling.
She reached a certain point where she slid down the mountain, into the forest and away from the road. It was hard to see the looming trees on her descend without fire bending, but Korra decided against it. Unknown to Korra, an equalist hovered on the road she had just left behind.
She finally reached her destination at a lightning fast speed, but the sight, even in darkness was beautiful. Snow covered all around, but the lake in the middle was the most breathtaking. A waterfall frozen in the middle was the most eye-catching, with its icicles dancing for all of nature to see, pouring into the perfectly frozen lake.
Korra brushed a few strands of hair from her face. She had put on her water tribe clothing when she left, but hadn't bothered to put her hair up. She stepped out onto the ice, and glided and danced to natures beat.
Mako had been eerily quiet as he watched behind a tree. The avatar looked so graceful, so innocent. Her hair cascaded around her face, but she didn't seem to care at all. He was supposed to be radioing base, telling them of her whereabouts, but it was as if he was hypnotised by the scene in front of him.
Something tugged at his memory in the back of his mind, but it was gone before he could grasp it.
A splash pulled him from his thoughts. The Avatar had fallen into the ice-cold water. Something told Mako he should laugh, but he didn't. He somehow had to fight the urge to run to her aid. But before he even decided what he was going to do, he heard a soft inhale of air. He saw the avatar pulling herself out of the water shivering, before bending the water off her. Not once had she made a sound.
He watched as she glided over to solid ground slowly and carefully, so as not to break the ice. She turned as if she was going to leave, but halted in her footsteps. He sank back against the tree, thinking that he had been found.
He was mistaken, as she walked back to the edge of the ice and bended the water so that the ice was the way she found it. He raised an eyebrow. She had been so considerate. It puzzled him. He watched her drift back away from sight, and Mako was alone in the darkness.
After a few minutes, he radioed base, telling them that she was heading back to the city, taking the road that led to the mountain. He was praised by the lieutenant, but he felt a twinge of guilt in his heart. Before he could think too much he ran back to the place the equalists were gathered, ready for the attack.
Korra was confused as she walked back on the road that she came on. The feeling that had abruptly stopped her while she was skimming over the ice, was the same that she felt, and still feels, when Bolin and Asami got closer to her. But the feeling was only there for a second, so Korra assumed he had seen something that reminded him of her, but stopped looking.
She smiled at the thought of the glowing green stone she had found at that same lake a month ago, before hiding it in a chest so she could use it when the time came.
Korra stopped quickly when she saw a line of equalists in front of her, blocking her entry to the city. More equalists dropped from the trees and surrounded her. There were about sixty equalists all up. Ever in the spur of the moment, she wondered if Mako was among this small army.
It seemed he was, as she ducked out of the way of a ball of fire, aimed from behind. She punched fire all around her as she spun on one foot. An equalist threw a charged set of kali sticks at her, but she bent a wall of rock between them.
She was severely outnumbered.
She bent a rock up from beneath five equalists, sending them flying. She dodged a gloved hand aimed for her right arm and sent a line of fire in that direction.
There was so many, she couldn't keep track of every attack.
So, she missed the fireball that sent her flying. She felt electricity course through her from another equalist, until she drifted from the conscious world.
The lieutenant chained her arms and legs and chi blockers blocked her bending.
Mako felt an overwhelming sense of guilt as they dragged her back to base.
A/N: There you have it! The very first chapter of The Price of Fate. This is my very first fanfiction so I would totally appreciate any reviews and/or suggestions. I am completely in love with LOK (Legend of Korra – if you didn't know) and I got frustrated when fanfics were left incomplete – so I will do my best to continue this story! The nightmare at the start will be explained later on – but for now if you didn't know how to pronounce the villains name it is {Sarah-fee-nah} On with the next chapter! (2 253 words)