"It was in the fog. It was in the fog..."
A terrified victim tremebled. A young woman tried to help the victim. But, spirit contamination was too extensive. Even her firebend cleansing wouldn't save him. She could do nothing but just watch the victim slowly and painfully die. Small tears came out of her purple eye. This was the 13rd death by the "fog" spirit in this week in Tae Yang island, Fire Nation. An officer in black uniform came into the makeshift tent.
"Observer Jin, There is no time to be emotional. you are urgently needed. The spirit is detected."
"Okay. I will go."
Jin left the tent and took a military truck which waiting for her. Several people were already in truck. Some were in modern Fire Nation military uniform. The others wore white Pine Forest coats. A military officer stood up and started to brief about the situation.
"Listen everyone. Today, we are going to exterminate the 'fog' spirit. The military would provide some backups. They will distract the spirit with projectiles and jelly bombs. Then, the Observers would neutralize the spirit. We will be at the place the spirit detected soon. Prepare."
Radio rang and a panicked voice yelled.
"Warning! The spirit is going toward there!"
Then, the truck shook and crashed into nearby tree. Jin got thrown out of truck. She felt the pain but also felt eerie feeling. An outraged spirit is coming. She couldn't see the truck she fell from nor the spirit. She tried to warn others. But, deep fog hid everything. Eerie feeling grew. The spirit is coming. Jin realized that she need to carry out spirit extermination. She shoot a purple flame and took an evasive action. The flame missed but she also evaded the charging spirit. She felt that the spirit almost touched her long black hair. After she evaded the spirit, Jin turned around and shoot another purple flame. This time, the spirit got direct hit. The ground shook and the fog started to fade away. In distance, Jin could see a wolf-like figure lying down and groaning. She got closer.
The spirit said,
"You humans' greed knows no bound. You are invading spirit realms and torturing spirits."
Jin replied.
"No, we have never done that. we want to co-exist with you. But, it's you spirit who are attacking our people. You will be contained in the order of Fire Lord Izumi."
"You will never be able to do that."
Then the spirit started to glow and the shape of the spirit started disappear.
Then, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Well done. You neutralized the threat."
A military officer praised Jin.
"Archer Sukho, This is not something to be proud of. Pine Forest is a research institute not military unit. I joined Pine Forest to study not to be a spirit-hunter. We should be studying spirit not exterminating them."
Jin said in regretting tone.
"I might be just a soldier, but I sense a change in the world. Unlike 10 years since Harmonic convergence, spirits are getting aggressive. I believe scientists like you has duty to help us fight back."
Sukho rebutted,
"Maybe you are right. But, I remember the days when humans and spirits lived relatively harmonious. I hope the good old days come back"
Jin sighed.
The officer agreed.
"Yeah, those good days. I cannot believe it was just a year ago."
ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ
"Secretary general Suyin Beifong, this is no joke. Spirit crisis in Yi province is reaching a dangerous level. Several deaths by spirit were reported in Omashu. What's Earth Union Commission doing?"
Lee Wang, a member of Earth Union Parliament, was grilling the Earth Union Secretary General in the Secretary General Question Time.
Suyin Beifong answered.
"We are cooperating with the Avatar to solve the problem. We already solved the crisis in Sinja and working with the Avatar to solve the crisis in Omashu..."
The MP sneered,
"Avatar? Avatar Korra lost her mind. It is her who opened spirit portal and cause this fiasco. Avatar is not the solution but the problem. Earth Union need to demand closure of spirit portals."
"As you all know, there used to be peace between with spirits and humans for over 10 years..."
"It's 'used to be'. Secretary General, Give me one reason why Earth Union should not demand the closure of spirit portals."
Suyin Beifong couldn't answer.
After returning from the disastrous Secretary General Question Time, Suyin Beifong was alone in the office pondering about the situation. Then, her secretary entered the room.
"Secretary General, Interior minister Jang Yi came to meet you."
"Let him in."
The former governor of Yi came in.
"Good evening. Secretary General."
It was not good evening. Criticisms against her spirit policy were all over newspapers and radio news. Her coalition government already lost all two EU MP seats in Yi province to "Humanity First", a fierce anti-spirit party. With EU parliamentary elections coming in bigger provinces, there is a high possibility that her government would be voted out, if this trend continues.
Jang Yi reluctantly started the conversation.
"I came here to discuss the topic in Secretary General Question Time."
"I know what you are trying to talk about."
"Then, you would know that the public opinion is really bad."
She could understand why people were frustrated. Since the first incident of large-scale spirit attack in lower Ba Sing Se, they had been causing havoc everywhere. Spirits disturbed railway system and mutated and killed people.
"But, I'm here also to discuss the constitutional crisis that spirit crisis is causing. Remember the mysterious dissolution of the Jiju provincial government in last week?"
Suyin remembered the resignation.
"That coup you mean?"
"Yes, your suspicion was right. The resignation was forced by Jiju local defense forces. Involvement of Former Dai Li members and commander Guan confirmed. But, the most worrying problem is that Humanity First also involved in the coup. Dai Li and commander Guan provided military force and Humanity First provided popular support. The provincial government is completely under control of these three entities. Democracy in Jiju is dead."
Suyin was quite shocked. She didn't expect the involvement of Jiju coup of Humanity First. So, she asked.
"Interior minister, is there a possibility that the coup would spread?"
"If the popularity of Humanity First continues. It is likely to spread. You need to take actions stop Humanity First and current spirit policy wouldn't help."
"Hmm, I will think about it."
"Secretary General, you need to make the decision quickly. The spirit crisis could destroy all the progress EU have made."
ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ
Another spiritbending ended. The spirit was pacified. But, the damage by the outraged badger mole was already extensive. Korra looked at the ruined part of the city on a rooftop of a damaged building. The sirens of ambulances dominated the city. She could feel the suffering of the victims.
The avatar was exhausted. She spent last few months going around Earth Union and United Republic of Nations to solve spirit problem. She did countless spiritbendings to pacify spirits. But, it seemed there is no end in sight. To make matters worse, there were reports of spirit attacks in Fire Nation. She cannot believe that large scale spirit attacks were possible without influence of Vaatu. She tried to contact and spirits and discuss about the crisis, but spirits were not cooperating. They just said that it was humans who attacked first.
"Korra."
Korra heard a familiar voice. It was Suyin Beifong.
"Suyin? I thought you were in Ba Sing se."
Suyin replied,
"Well, you cannot stay in the capital when the second largest city of the country is on fire."
Korra answered grimly,
"You are here to help me pacify spirit? I think you're late."
The Secretary General didn't answered. She just looked at the destroyed city. The spirit ravaged the whole district. Almost no building was left standing. Burnt and destroyed vehicles of Earth Union Security force clearly showed that the first response was a complete disaster. It was the sight of total failure of Earth Union.
Then, Suyin reluctantly started to speak.
"I might not be able to help you, but I'm here to discuss about the spirit portal."
Korra realized what Suyin is trying to say. She want spirit portals to be closed. She reluctantly answered,
"The Spirit portal brought balance between spirits and humans. We will experience significant spiritual progress. Look at your daughter. Opal is living happy life as a member of air Nomad. If the spirit portal have not opened, she would had never the chance to live as an air bender."
The Secretary General frowned. She seems to be displeased by the mention of her daughter.
"Avatar, this is not about my daughter. My people are dying. My country is burning. I want you to take actions."
"You want to close spirit portal."
Korra said .
"It's one of many options. I'm not forcing you to do it. But, you need to remember many want them closed." Suyin said.
Then, an airship arrived. The officer on the ship shouted.
"Secretary General, you are needed in emergency response center."
"Good bye, Avatar. Just remember this spirit problem might destabilize everything."