Prologue
As soon as they came into view, she knew her life was over. They hadn't left her much of a choice really now that she thought about it.
"Korra." Mako warned, struggling against his chains.
"Quiet." Mr. Sato snapped, ramming his electrical prod into the firebenders side. He screamed and Asami's father smiled wickedly.
"No leave him alone." The avatar screamed, watching helplessly as Mako's head fell forward, and he slumped into unconsciousness.
"Korra," Tenzin murmured softly in her ear, his ongoing effort to stay conscious showing in his voice. "You can't give him what he's asking." He looked down the line of captive benders, his eyes resting on each barely breathing form. "We'll manage."
"Tenzin, this is my duty." She murmured back.
"No Korra," he hissed his usually calm, reassuring voice sharp and demanding.
She ignored him, and turned her head toward the Equalists guarding the door. Their uniforms blended in with the dismally dark stone lining the walls their captives hung from. They stared back mercilessly, swinging their demented cattle prods as if to say "Don't get any ideas, I'm in charge here." And they were in charge. Her hands bound, her chi blocked, Korra was reduced to nearly nothing. The very thing she feared the most.
"Tell Amon I've come to a decision." She told them, her face a practiced mask of indifference and her voice cool. Tenzin started to protest and was rewarded with a sharp jab from the Equalists. Bolin stared at her, shaking his head frantically.
But all she could see was Mako, his black hair clumping against his wet face. Those beautiful amber eyes she loved so much were closed, but she knew he'd be fighting for her if he were awake.
"Yes young Avatar?" Amon said as he entered, a row of half a dozen guards trailing behind him.
"I'll do it." she whispered. "I'll do it."
He had to be smiling; she could see it in those cool, calculating eyes beneath the mask. The smug little son of a bitch had to be laughing his spirits damned mask off because he'd finally get his chance to end the Avatar.
"Wait where are you going?" she asked as he turned towards the door.
"I told you before, I wouldn't just take you here and now didn't I?" he looked at her, his voice cool and disapproving. "How would taking you now, while you're chained and helpless accomplish anything? No, I have bigger plans for you." And with that he left, motioning for the guards to follow him.
Alone now, she heaved a great sigh. Tenzin groaned weakly and she tried to comfort him, though it was sure to be a wasted effort.
"Korra," he murmured, "You can't do this."
Of course she ignored him and just closed her eyes, fighting to stay awake. The chains dug into her wrists and rubbed her skin raw. Her eyes closed and she willed herself to sleep, she'd need to be alert for what was coming.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Korra wake up." Tenzin's voice broke through the fog in her mind.
She groaned, forcing herself to sit up.
"Thank spirits you're alright." Someone sighed, and she looked up into Mako's eyes. He was standing in front of her and she had a brief moment to wonder how they got free before his arms engulfed her. His shirt still carried the faint traces of smoke and cinnamon and she found herself breathing him in. The arms around her shook and she felt him shudder. "What on earth were you thinking Korra? He's playing you; you have to get out of here. No matter what promises he makes he's lying. No matter the outcome we're going to lose our bending. But you, you can save yourself. The city needs you."
"Mako I'm not leaving. I wouldn't even if I could. This is the only way." He glared at her and she stood. "I have to do this."
"No, Korra please there has to be something else we can do." Bolin begged, spreading his hands wide and stepping to her. His palms were rough but she felt reassured as he enveloped her hand in his.
"I wish there were." She told him.
"Korra…" Tenzin stared at her, a range of emotions running across his face before he settled on resignation. "You're going to make a great Avatar."
"Maybe," said a voice from the door. "If she lasts that long." The Equalist soldier walked carefully into the room, followed by two others, who stood stiffly at the door. "Amon is ready."
"No." said Mako and Bolin together. They fell into a fighting stance and the Equalist guards moved forwards, their weapons raised.
"Stop." She placed a hand on their shoulders, pulling them into her, holding on tight for a long moment. They hugged her and she blinked back tears. She had to be strong; it's what was expected of the Avatar.
"I love you both. Just remember that." She whispered.
"Korra don't say that. You're going to be fine." Mako whispered.
"We believe in you." The earth bender stated.
"Let's go." The soldier said, grabbing her shoulder and tearing her from their embrace.
"Tenzin, thank you, for everything." She said to him as she was forced out the door.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"No…" Mako groaned as the door slammed shut, separating him from Korra. If he'd been faster, he could have prevented this. If he's been better, done things differently, just believed her at the beginning of this wrenched mess, he could have stopped all of this. It was all his fault.
"We have to do something." Bolin growled
It seemed like an eternity had passed, pacing and glancing at the door every few steps, willing it to open. Finally, it did and a familiar face stepped over the thresh hold. But it wasn't a welcome sight.
"You're to come with me." Mr. Sato said, opening the door wider to let them pass. They hesitated, all three benders glaring at him. "If you want to see your little friend you'll do as I say."
Reluctantly, the exited the room and were led down a narrow, metal hallway. Faintly, Mako could hear the sounds of a crowd behind the thick walls.
"In here." Hiroshi ordered and slammed the door on them as they marched in.
It was a small room, the platinum walls dingy and splattered with dirt. The wide glass window covering the entire forward wall and looked out onto some sort of arena.
"Korra?" Bolin cried, and Mako whipped around, watching as she was thrown unceremoniously into view. She snarled at the Equalist guards who pushed her to the ground and he felt a rush of fear for her. Then came a surge of anger that welled inside him. These equalists would pay for every scratch they put on her.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Amon's voice boomed around them, and the overhead lights came on. With a start Mako realized he was looking at an arena. Not just an arena, but a pro-bending arena. And there was Amon, standing in the center as he had at the championship match, staring up into the roaring crowd. There had to be thousands of people, all watching this demented mad man with a riveted expression clear of their faces.
"Thank you for coming to witness this historic occasion. When I was a boy, a fire bender struck down my entire family. That tragic event started me on my quest to equalize the world. Now, I will rid the world of the atrocity known as bending. As the Avatar, young Korra here will be only one of the many to fall. Are you prepared girl?"
"Take you best shot." She snarled, straightening her shoulders.
"You first." he told her, waving his hand. "It is only fair."
Mako later swore he saw her eyes flash then. "No…." he yelled, banging on the glass with as much force as he could. Bolin was shouting and trying in vain to break the glass. But Tenzin just stood, looking through the glass in horror.
Tenzin shook his head helplessly and Mako groaned, watching as Korra began to bend.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Fire was the first thing that came to her when he said to attack. The scorching heat seared from her palms and she leapt forwards. It was barely a second before a second stream of fire soared forward with a sense of urgency. She fought with urgency, not allowing herself to let the fear she felt show. Amon dodged every attack, moving in such a way that in any other person, she would admire it. The way he moved carried traces of the technique Tenzin had tried to teach her, the spiral movements of an airbender.
As he advanced, she was forced to retreat farther towards the edge. If he managed to get close enough, she wouldn't be able to get away. They both knew it. It was with no real plan that she fought, her only goal to stay as far from him as possible. The earth responded to her command, lifting into the air and shooting through the air, bursting into small fragments as they connected with her advisory. He grunted, a hand going to her chest and she forced herself to follow through, whipping the water around her from the grates and dousing him mercilessly.
Then she was on the ground, and he was standing above her. Her legs swung and she vaulted up on her hands, kicking flames at him as she came down. Her boot smashed into the earth where she'd been and she encased it in stone. His heel made contact with her solar plexus and she lost her balance, rolling into the railing and losing her focus. He stepped from his hold as she tried to stand, his stance gloating.
A splash of fear surged through her, too strong to ignore and she reacted instinctively, pulling the water from the air around her and forming a barrier around herself. Amon glimmered through the water on the other side, staring down at her in contempt. Her breaths heaved in and out of her chest, and she had to concentrate just to stop herself from hyperventilating.
She couldn't do this. Every attack she threw at him only made things worse. If he won this battle, the Avatar cycle would end. Aang and Kyoshi's words echoed in her mind. She refused to be the last Avatar. This damn cycle would go on if it was the last thing she did.
"The last thing I do..." she whispered, a plan forming in her head. "Spirits help me." She whispered, looking out and taking everything in for a moment, before steeling herself and standing. "If I'm going down, so are you. I'm not going to be a complete failure" she said to the warped man on the other side of her dome. He was waiting patiently, glaring through the water at her.
A deep breath and she was ready. There was no point thinking about the inevitable. Korra forced the water out from around her, making sure to get everything she could as wet as possible. Amon was on her in an instant, grabbing onto her shoulders and hitting places in her arms that made her go numb. But she was beyond caring. She only had to grab into his belt.
The electrical sticks all equalists carried came free easily. As her legs gave out, Korra took a breath and looked into the eyes of the man who would be dead beside her in a matter of moments.
"Any last words as Avatar young Korra?" Amon said, his voice booming around the stadium as the crowd went wild.
"Yah, as a matter of fact." She grinned, a feral sound coming out of her throat as he stepped back in surprise, his feet sloshing in the pools of water around them. "Say goodnight." She said smugly and flicked the devices into the water between them.
The blue flow of electricity flicked around them, traveling through the water and into their bodies. The pain was unbearable and for a moment she regretted not trying to get away, though it would have been impossible.
"I'm sorry." She thought, giving in to the pain and letting the dark, blissful nothingness envelop her.