Raava could feel Korra's strength. She could feel her pain. It was as it was for every Avatar. Korra was the only one besides Wan to ever have this circumstance of events occur though, and Raava could feel how afraid her Avatar was. Sure enough, when their eyes witnessed Vaatu and Unalaq becoming one, Raava was terrified. But Korra was strong. She would not give up this fight just as Wan didn't before her.
Wan. Now that events were reoccurring, it was all Raava could do to not think about him. She wished she could feel his touch, his care when he placed her in the teapot meant to hold her until she could grow strong once again. The Avatar had loved many people since then, but none of those lovers were her. Wan was her lover, the one that truly loved her and knew she was there, that cared. And she loved and cared for him too.
Vaatu had turned the spirits into dark ones. Raava flew over Wan, willing to help him if he could not stop the attacks of the spirits and his human friends at once. "Raava, we need to combine our energies. Maybe we'll have enough power to stop this." It was all she needed, but would it work? This had never been attempted with even a normal spirit. Would her power harm him? She had to do it; she couldn't just let his longing to save each side of his friends go to waste. She soared into him, feeling his warmth surround her. His soul was so pure and innocent but had seen the rough times that came with every life. He flew into the air between the spirits and humans.
Raava could feel it though. His soul flickered. "Wan, I have to leave your body or I'll destroy you."
"No, it's working. If you leave the fighting will start again." So stubborn. As she prepared to leave him, his mind gave out, and Wan hurtled toward the ground.
"Wan!" This would cost her, but she had to do it! She caught him just as he was about to hit the land. The spirits and humans were quickly under control of Vaatu and raced for each other. Raava deemed herself lucky to get Wan away before they started fighting again, or even catching him as his feet rubbed the dirt. She carried him away to a hill overlooking the scene. She could feel herself growing smaller and weaker. Wan was safe. He lie on the grass a few feet away from her.
Raava could sense Vaatu nearby.
The darkness spread through Korra, fingering through the Avatar's mind. Raava wanted to escape, but there was no way she could leave the Avatar of her own accord. She felt Vaatu slip around her and held on to Korra, trying to stay in her Avatar. Vaatu's rumbling laugh echoed through her. "Come out, Raava, and end this once and for all."
Raava felt the cold surround her. She dangled in the air above Korra and Unalaq, revealed for the first time in ten thousand years. She could not escape the sphere of water around her. Exposed to the dark energy collapsing the environment, she was as weak as she was when she fought with Wan, but now she and Korra both were unsteady from being separated.
She fell to the snow beneath them as Korra's friends bombarded Unalaq and Vaatu. They were quickly stopped, and she was lifted and thrown against a rock. All she could do was lie on the rock as Unalaq and Vaatu attacked her. With each hit, she could feel one of her Avatars disappear, destroyed forever. Aang. Roku. Kyoshi. And more and more.
She couldn't feel Korra anymore. What was she feeling? Raava could see her fighting to get up. She could also see Unalaq's cruel smile.
Deep down, someone was screaming her name. Dark hair. Scared eyes. "Raava!"
Korra tried to stand again but fell. Raava watched her and saw someone else.
Wan.
He got up from the snow and raced to her. He was transparent, something only she could view. He stood in front of her with his arms spread out. He glared at Unalaq and yelled for him to stop. That he just couldn't hurt her. But the hits just kept coming. They would go through him and pierce Raava. He turned to her and went to his knees. His eyes were desperate. "Raava," he sobbed. "Raava, I can't do anything."
"It's alright, Wan." He felt it too. The Avatars vanishing from their minds. It was empty, like it was in the beginning. Time slowed.
"Raava, I don't want you to die." His hands went through the rock and wrapped around her. Just like the old days, she could feel his warmth. "Get up." His eyes were urgent now. "Get up. Leave the rest of us and find a place to heal. Only then will this madness be stopped."
"I cannot, Wan."
"Raava, you have to. You can't die. If you do, ten thousand years will be plagued with darkness, and the Avatar won't exist anymore. Hurry before he hits you again!" Too late. The last whip of water was surging toward her but at a slow pace. It felt like they had all the time in the world left when they knew they had none.
"Wan, you once offered yourself to Vaatu, to fight him, before he could destroy me," she whispered, no strength left at all. His head fell next to hers. "I couldn't tell you what I wanted to at the time because of how feeble I was. Though I am weaker now, I have to let you know that I wanted nothing more than to stand in front of you each time Vaatu hit you. If I die, I will just come back, but if you died, you would never come back. Now, as close to death as we are at this moment, have I ever wanted to protect you. Although, I cannot. If I die, you die, but you will not return."
The water was at his back.
"I love you, Raava. You have to be strong and not die. Please, don't…"
If only she could cry, she would. "Wan, I am sorry for how I treated you when we first met. I never realized that I could love a human." He lifted his head and tried to smile one last time. Tears flew down his face.
"Raava-"
The water slammed into her. He was gone forever.
She could see his fleeting image. No longer could she hide in the past, for it was not there. All she had was the slight memory that he had been there at all.