Korra propped herself up, her waking eyes still staring at the faded beast and her previous incarnations. She was rested yet ached all over, she felt bruises yet saw no mark. Something didn't feel right, as if her hard-work had been undone. In the weeks before her encounter with Semak and the triads she has felt a hand on her shoulder, willing her forward with her airbending training. Aang's presence. But the feeling was gone, as if her connection to the Spirit World was severed.

She quickly tested her abilities – moving the earth and water, producing fire and air – before dashing into the main building. This was a ritual she was all too familiar with. Though the threat posed by Amon was gone, the fear he produced was not so easily lost. The start of a movement that she could still sense in the city's rotten underbelly; if only unextinguished, dying embers.

"Where is Tenzin, I need to talk to him." Korra burst into the room unfalteringly, but found only Meelo set on Mako's lap. The first firebending cop in Republic City seemed perfectly relaxed whilst feeding the troublesome rascal as he squirmed around avoiding his breakfast. However, he grew rigid when he saw Korra's face, attempting to force a reassuring smile.

"Actually, you just missed him sweetie. He is trying to piece together the councilmen and women and rebuild damages from the Equalist attack."

"Don't call me that Mako," said Korra, looking into Mako's warm, fiery eyes and pouting.

"What do I call you then?"

"The greatest firebender in Republic City." She smiled brashly, leaning in for a kiss and allowing her mind to wander from the ferocious fiends the Spirit World contained. Their lips touched for a moment. "In that case have you seen Semak?"

Mako sighed, "I don't think he's up yet." Meelo prodded Mako sharply in his cheek and pointed towards his pants. Lin and Pema had both warned Mako of the young airbender's unpredictable bowel movements. Meelo's wide grin was met with another low sigh as Korra slinked out to avoid any motherly duties.

As she walked across the courtyard towards the men's rooms she saw a figure crouched on the steps looking across to Republic City, the rising sun caught the water perfectly and the cool air wafted through the figures dark hair. Korra recognised Semak in an instant, but was unsure what to say after their unscheduled adventure the night before.

"I... do you want me to give you your bending back." Korra was sincere yet evoked a broken sob from the traveller with the pendant.

"For years I thought the spirits had removed my waterbending. They had given the power to a mortal to remove impurities. But the things I could have done... the lives I could have saved." Korra sat next to him, his head still turned away from her. "I don't know how we ended up in the Spirit World. I don't know what that beast was. But... I fear I do know what it has done to you."

Korra's voice lacked its regular confidence, "What? What has it done to me?" She had hoped it had just been a nightmare, a vision, but now she could see that everything was real.

"You cannot return my bending." At this point he stared at her, not sure which of them was at more of a loss.

Korra pressed her thumb against Semak's forehead. Nothing. The energy that had previously filled her like a rope connecting her thumb to the centre of their chi was gone. Her thumb pushed harder, leaving a faint mark on his skin, which was slightly lighter than Korra's. At this point she could barely speak, hardly breath.

The Avatar was supposed to be a connection between the Spirit World and reality, but something was trying to break that link. She had been practising entering the Avatar State with differing results, however she could not even do this any more. Her worst fears were again being realised. "Aang... help," she whispered, removing her hand from Semak's head and touching his hand. He placed his coat over her as a cold chill ran through them, and they sat for a moment. However, their silence was broken by the sound of the radio blearing out, the phone going off and Bolin calling for everyone at the top of his voice. Something dark was afoot.