Kuvira had been imprisoned under high-security since Korra thwarted her attack on Republic City. There were few people with any access to the facility, much less Kuvira herself. Korra still was not allowed to see her alone, though she had wished to be able to talk with her many times without the oversight and eaves-dropping of others. It had been some time since she had thought of her with everything going on and longer since she last spoke with her.

"You will kill Kuvira." The words echoed in Korra's mind; she was stunned at such an order. While she knew people had died on her account battling Amon, Unalaq, Zaheer and Kuvira, it was never in cold-blood. It went against everything she had been taught, everything she believed. Korra just stared back at their captors blankly.
"If you are having difficulty deciding what do to, let us help you." Jukan gripped Senna tightly by her neck and nearly lifted her from the ground. They were all surprised at the amount of strength he had at his disposal. The sounds of Senna struggling to breathe was torment to all three. Korra, in tears, struggled to form the words, "Please stop!" As her strength began to wain, Jukan released her, allowing her to slump to the ground. "I'm disappointed, is that enough? You'll do what we want Avatar, or you will watch your friends live in torment."

Trying to absorb everything she had just witnessed, Korra finally broke her silence, "Even if I were to kill Kuvira as you say, what assurance do I have that you won't just hold everyone and try to use me as your slave?"
Dursh spoke up, "We aren't offering any assurance; you simply don't have a choice."

Kya and Avan continued searching what seemed like an endless complex of corridors and rooms. They were wandering blindly through the building trying to figure out from where they had originally met their captors.

"This building must be huge! Are we dealing with vampires or something, why aren't there any windows anywhere? I'd even go for running into a couple of their guards, just for something!" Kya commented out of frustration.
"Wait, you're right, that is odd!"
"What?" Kya said, puzzled.
"It is huge with no windows."

Avan formed the water he had been toting around into blades and left a path of destruction as he cut through the walls. Kya quickly followed suit as they cut their own path through the building until they met a solid wall of earth. "We're underground," Avan pointed out, "That's why this place seems so much larger inside, they must have constructed it deep into the earth. We only saw the small part above ground." He pulled back and hit the earthen wall with his open hands and stood silently for a moment, concentrating. "There is a large room not far above us. I can't tell if they are there, but judging by the size, I bet that's where we were captured."
"Let's get up there, but we need to be careful, they have numbers and their chi-blocking weapons. Hopefully if we can free Korra and Asami, we can even the odds. I can only assume that since they don't appear to be holding them down here that they have something else in store for them."

It wasn't long before they found themselves in a room just under their intended destination. After bending a stone platform, Avan felt the ceiling again. "Korra and Asami are inside, but they aren't alone. There must be at least 20 or so people in there with them. It doesn't look good. What do we do?" Avan looked to Kya guidance.
"Can you make a passage into the room?"
"Sure."
"Let's try to get in from an empty corner so we can get a handle on what's going on. Maybe we can take out some of them quietly and get the jump on others. Of course, if they are ready for us, we are going to end up worse off than we started." Avan nodded in agreement. They moved to an area just under what seemed to have been an empty corner of the room above and Avan carefully bent the earth from the ceiling, making a pile on the floor. When he felt that it was about the breach, he looked to Kya who understood and readied herself. He motioned to create a clean and quiet break in the material of the floor above and brought down the final segment. As they peered from their platform, they were in luck. No one was immediately near them and they were in one of the dimly lit corners that had given their attackers the advantage not long ago.
As they tried to survey the hall, they saw the dire situation they were in. Korra was in the center, bound and surrounded by the Dursh character who had started all this and about five others. Asami was on the opposite side of the room on the ground with two others he didn't recognize. An older man who appeared to be in charge of them along with another group of six were watching over the three captives. The one thing they had going for them was that it appeared all of their captors were acutely focused on what was going on with Korra and their prisoners.
"Those are Korra's parents with Asami," Kya explained. "What is it they are trying to do?" Kya's question was quickly answered when they saw the older man lift Senna by the neck and later drop her to the floor. They heard Korra's weak plea and began to realize the situation she was in. Then they heard Korra speaking, "Even if I were to kill Kuvira..." "Is that what this is all about, getting back at Kuvira?" Avan asked Kya.
"I'm sure there is more to it. They know Korra's weak spot is her heart and they are probably trying to make her into their slave...and she might just be caring enough to do it." Kya's voice trailed off even below the whisper at the last comment. "The most powerful person on earth at their disposal, then whenever they want to cut her loose, she has no where to go since she would have become the most notorious criminal in history by that time as well," commented Avan.
"If we can't get secure the three of them, I don't believe Korra will be able to do anything out of fear for their safety." Avan suggested, "Maybe we can start with the surrounding guards." There were about ten guards scattered through the dimmer areas of the hall, observing the proceedings, but on their own. "If you bend the water over their heads, they won't be able to scream out or breathe, then I can knock them out." They exchanged looks and quickly went to it. The plan worked perfectly. Kya ensnared each guard in turn in a bubble of water, then Avan launched a chunk of stone to quickly dispatch them, unconscious. They carefully moved through the shadows until they were left with the problem of how to help Korra and the others.

After exchanging more words, Jukan moved on to using Asami against Korra. He wanted nothing else but to completely break the Avatar and have her submit fully him. "I can do this all day Avatar. Do you think you can keep watching your precious loved ones be punished for something that would be such an easy task for you?" Asami tightened her neck and stayed silent, keeping her eyes fixed on Korra's. Without words, Korra knew that Asami did not want her to give in, no matter the cost. Asami felt her head beginning to lighten, the little breath she was able to maintain was becoming insufficient. Suddenly, she pulled her legs up, still bound, and pushed back against him. He released her from his grip and she flew back a bit onto the floor. She took in air deeply, trying to catch her breath. Jukan taunted, "What do you think you accomplished? You still have no where to go." He stepped toward her and pulled his leg back and kicked her hard in the ribs. Asami only let go a slight wince, angering him further. After assaulting her again, Dursh spoke up, "Stop. It is the Avatar we are after."

Dursh began to argue with Jukan over the actions he had taken, drawing the attention of the remaining captors as well. Kya and Avan saw this moment as probably their only chance to attack the group. Without the need to exchange words, they set their sights first on trying to secure Asami and Korra's parents. Avan bent the floor out from under three who were guarding the captives, dropping them to the floor below. Whips of water assaulted the remaining three guards. They were too close to Asami and the others to risk dropping the floor, but Avan was able to disrupt their footing to give Kya an opening to knock them back with her water whips, then Avan locked the hands and feet of each to the floor with stone shackles.
Dursh, Jukan and the five others were a bit slow to comprehend what was happening, but as they realized they were being attacked, they identified Avan and Kya and moved on them. Once they joined the fray, Avan and Kya quickly found themselves more and more on the defensive. The attackers were well coordinated. They attacked as they could, but more and more had to concentrate on deflecting incoming projectiles. Dursh motioned to the others to spread out. Though still small in number, they were sufficient to effectively surround the two of them.
The spread of the attack weakened Avan and Kya's ability to counter dramatically. He could feel the tide moving against them. The level of effort he had maintained with the blood he had sacrificed earlier to free them was taking its toll. They stayed near Asami and the others. Kya worked to free Asami and the others. Unfortunately, she found the three of them in not much shape to make a run for it. Hopelessness began to creep over them.

Dursh recognized their increasing desperation, "Just what do you think you can do? Are you going to carry the four of them out while defending against us? I suspect you wouldn't even know where to go!" He laughed at their comical situation. Things only turned worse when the three sent to the floor below emerged from a side door to join the fight.
The water Kya had been carrying was slowly being depleted, reducing the reach of her attacks. Then, Avan saw Kya falter as one of their darts, then another, met her side and back. Avan saw her one remaining water whip lose form and fall to the ground. The cloaked figures recognized they held the upper hand and began to move in on them. Avan desperately sent projectiles in an attempt to drive them back from behind his defenses, but to no avail. Upon them now, the attackers circumvented his defense and as they seemed to whirl around him, he felt the sting of darts as they stabbed at him from multiple directions. While still in some control, he pushed his will outward against the attackers with everything he had left. It was an act of desperation, he knew it wouldn't be enough, but in that moment, he felt something familiar lurking within their veins.
The few closest to him flew back and were slammed against the walls of the room. Those further back were only knocked to the ground. He fell, exhausted, with the room spinning above him. They were quickly upon him again and pummeled him into complete submission. He was just hanging onto consciousness and could barely feel the onslaught. Inside, he felt broken by the feeling that he was again unable to save his new family.

The attacks stopped. They regained control of their captives, now five in number. Jukan was standing over Korra with one of the prods. "You think you could come here and save these fools, the two of you! How arrogant!" At those words, he jammed the prod into Korra's side while staring at Avan. The searing pain returned and she could not help but scream. He stopped and approached Avan, "And isn't this a nice surprise as well. I think we can definitely find a use for your, unique, skills. I would never have expected a blood-bender to be working with the Avatar. You may be even more useful than she. If you care anything for the lives of these other five, you will do as I say." He then gave him a taste of prod into his side. Everything began to melt into a blur.

Still in pain herself, Korra gathered her strength and stood up facing Jukan. She spoke with a new resolve, "No matter what you do, I will not become your slave. Kuvira is paying for her crimes and trying to move on. I had to make decisions that affected many people and I have learned that I must accept them and their consequences." Korra's eyes scanned her friends and family. They returned looks of both assurance and acceptance. They knew what her defiance may mean for them, but, like Korra, were willing to accept it. Defiantly, Korra declared, "I will not become your slave to waste away my own soul and what the Avatar represents."

Jukan's hatred took on a renewed depth. He lashed out at his captives, striking them and using his pain prod on them. Their screams only seemed to ignite more hatred for them. "How much can you really take Avatar!?' he screamed. Korra looked at them all with tears in her eyes. She knew why she could not acquiesce to him, but it did not dissuade the guilt she felt over being the cause of their suffering. Dursh was troubled at the level to which his colleague had fallen, swallowed and was compelled to speak up. "Jukan, get a hold of yourself!" He grabbed his arm and, to his surprise, Jukan slammed him to the ground, then turned on him as well. Stepping back, he spoke with a tone of disgust, "You have lost your conviction. Ean, it is our duty."
Those words clearly focused Korra's memory. "You. You were the one there the night Asami attacked me." Jukan stopped his assault and turned to the Avatar. "I remember those words; you used them to trigger Asami. It's been you behind all of this hasn't it?" The man turned and gave Korra the most wicked of smiles. "And what of it Avatar? You said yourself that you must accept the consequences of your actions. I am here to deliver them to you for what you did those years ago. I will destroy everything you hold dear!"

Avan was finally able to put all the pieces together. The initial attack, the milky substance Kya had extracted from Asami, the words this Jukan used to subdue Dursh and the flash of feeling he received when he had blood-bended the whole group. He was weak, spent. "Perhaps there's a chance...," he thought. As Jukan continued on his rant, Avan focused on Korra. As when he was trapped in the cell, he focused on himself, pooling together every drop of strength he could muster. He tried to make a connection with Korra like what had happened on the airship, though he wasn't even sure himself what he was doing. At first, nothing, but in a moment, he felt a spark of something. Korra's eyes darted to Avan, she too felt it, though still unsure of what he was trying. Though her bending was still being blocked by the shackles, she did her best to concentrate and remember the brief training with him to pull on the thin threads of energy Avan was projecting. The hall, the people and even the pain were slowly pushed away, into the background. She could feel a faint and familiar presence...Avatar Kuruk. He spoke no words, but Korra felt this presence reach out for her, for her mind. In what seemed to be an instant, Korra gained an understanding about what Avan had learned of their attackers when he had attacked them. She also experienced a flood of memory snapshots, just flashes of images. Some were more recent, coated with a feeling of warmth, she saw Avan escaping from below and freeing Kya, times spent sparring and Avan at the Air Temple. Others reached back further, shrouded in darkness, pain, time on the streets, the night Avan's family was lost. Further still, memories from different perspectives, from lives completely unknown to her. "Kuruk's spirit must have continued to move on from person to person even after I lost my connection," Korra thought. "No, it is deeper than this, can a spirit extend beyond just a single person? This would explain Avan's surprising ability to take up waterbending..." While curious of all of this, Korra's mind suddenly regained its grip and pulled her back to the room in which they were trapped. She was a bit disoriented since the thoughts she experienced seemed to have extended out for hours, but clearly only seconds had past at most.

Korra surveyed the hall to see her friends and family, the attackers still waiting for orders, surrounding them, Dursh on the floor and Jukan continuing his rant at her. "Do you understand your situation?!" he yelled to Korra. Having no idea what he had been speaking about and no longer caring, she answered, "I understand exactly what I have to do."
White light erupted from Korra's eyes, seemingly illuminating the entire room. She burned through the straps that had been holding her still. Their captors, Jukan included, were frozen in shock. They had thought that blocking her bending would prevent her Avatar state as well, but with no way to test it, they found their assumptions to be quite incorrect. Jukan ordered an attack, but weapons and people alike were quickly captured in swirling air around Korra and tossed harmlessly aside. All were a bit surprised, when she stayed her ground. Instead of lashing out at the attackers, she began to move her arms, waterbending.
Dursh and the attackers all around them went stiff and appeared to seize as they turned their faces upward, with mouths gaping open. As Korra moved her arms, a misty cloud started to gather being fed from all of them. She collected it together to form a floating puddle of the milky liquid which Kya and Avan recognized as what they had previously removed from Asami. Moments later, Korra's state returned to normal. Dursh and the others dropped to floor, now bewildered. Korra, injured and still partially drugged, fell to her knees.

"What have I been doing?" questioned Dursh, rubbing his eyes. "I feel like my mind has been in a fog." The other attackers looked around, just as confused. Jukan scanned the hall, the terror of losing control over the situation sunk in. As he tried to run, Asami stood and grabbed the metal prod from his hands. She wheeled back and struck him across the head, hard enough to destroy it and knock him out in the process. She stood over him for just a moment, satisfied with the result before making her way to Korra, clutching her sides. Senna helped Tonraq up to a seated position. Kya tended to herself and Avan as best she could. The group was in dire straits, but alive and no longer in danger.

They followed Dursh back up and outside, though with some apprehension. Those who were previously attackers came to aid the group who were all injured and battered. Dursh ordered the compound closed for the day, keeping only a skeletal staff and medical team who tended to everyone's wounds. He spoke little about what had happened. Jukan was bound and silenced and moved to a secure room on Asami's airship under guard for transport back to Republic City.

Much to Korra's surprise, Asami quickly came to the defense of Dursh and the others. Korra had described how Jukan was the only one that was not tainted with the drug that had been used on Asami. Asami knew what it had been like to be influenced by it and so there was no one better to understand what they had gone through and to explain it to others. Dursh addressed Asami formally, "Ms. Sato, I cannot tell you how sorry I am for all that has happened. I swear to you that I will launch a full investigation to get to the bottom of how all of this unfolded." He then turned to Korra, "Avatar Korra, I will leave myself in your hands and the Republic City police to answer for what has happened." Korra sat for a minute and thought, "Figuring out what happened will be the first thing, and I think you will need to be here to do that." She then cracked her first smile in some time, "As for charges, if I were to charge you, given all that has happened, I would have to charge CEO Sami here of attempted murder too then, right?" Asami gave Korra a small look of concern before they both laughed, clutching their sides as they were reminded of the pain of their ordeal.

They remained a couple days and PEM in the company of Dursh. Though a bit tentative at first,any malice between them soon dissolved. Most of those involved had in fact lost family and close friends to Kuvira's forces and Korra took time to listen to their stories. It was this connection that Jukan had targeted to make them easier to influence and manipulate. Though they had done what Jukan was unable; accept their losses and move on with their lives, many realized that Korra's actions were greater than that one day.

Korra also took advantage of the recuperation days to catch up with her parents and explain to them everything that had gone on from the first attacks to how they were pulled into the whole mess. Asami was grateful for both of them for their reassurance and concern surrounding her own involvement in attacking Korra. It also gave them an opportunity to see how all these events brought their daughter so much closer to Asami as well. They were happy for both of them.

On the way back to Air Temple Island, Kya found Avan staring out again from the observation deck at a setting sun. "Why is it you like staring out at the horizon so much?" she asked. "I don't know. I guess after spending most of my life buried in the lower rings of the Earth kingdom, the idea of the seeing this wide open skyline and the sun dipping into the horizon has really captured me." Kya chuckled a bit. "What's so funny?"
"After everything that has happened to those around us, everything you've learned and shared with all of us, you still end up here by yourself looking out at the sky." She paused a few moments. "Have you thought about what you are going to do after we get back?"
"Well, I hope that I could continue working with you in the healing hut, if you'll have me. I also hope that all this other business will help drive the whole blood-bending thing out of people's minds."
"You shouldn't worry about that. Just like Korra, you should try to stick to your own convictions as best you can and deal with the fallout later... That seems to work okay for her anyway."
"Oh yeah, seems to work out great right! Says the two of us returning home after being captured, bled, shocked and beaten!"
"...And stabbed, don't forget stabbed."
"Besides, those who can't look at your life and see you for the good you've done don't deserve your concern anyway," Kya added.

Kya then turned to face Avan with a serious expression on her face. "Avan, I have been thinking about something for some time, and I think now is as good a time as any to ask you about it. I know you lost your family, but I hope that you have come to think of Korra, Asami, Tenzin, Pema, myself, and all of us, as your new family. I also know that you are an adult now, and you may not think about such things anymore, so I hope this doesn't sound strange, but... what would you think of being adopted...by me?" Kya stared at Avan for a moment to try and ascertain his reaction to the idea, a bit embarrassed.
"I mean, not a lot would change really. It's not like you'd have a curfew or anything. It's just, I've come to think of you as my family and after everything that has happened, I just thought. I thought that making things official would mean that if anything ever happened to you...or me, we would have all the rights of a real family. I mean, maybe it's a stupid idea..." Kya trailed off.
"It's not a stupid idea...and it would change things." He grasped Kya in a big bear hug, "It means more to me than I could tell you that you have even thought about this. I mean, are you sure you are okay with it...knowing what I am?"
"I am absolutely sure that I am okay with it, especially knowing who you are!"
Avan waited just a moment before speaking. "I think it's a great idea, mom."

End

AN: So I am going to call that a wrap for this story. As I mentioned at the start, this was my first try at writing a story and I definitely recognize some short-comings, but I also don't think it went too badly. One thing is for certain, the next time I set out to write something like this, I put together an outline first. I tried writing just as I had time and as things came to me and leaving me stuck on multiple occasions. I think it would have also helped me to not end up with as many dangling plot pieces too. I fully admit that I am guilty of introducing characters and ideas that ended up kind of going nowhere. By the time I was trying to close things up, I just didn't really have a place for them either. We all have to learn somehow right?
Though it does give me some open options to extend what I started...

Sorry these last two chapters took so long to get out, I just couldn't get together time recently to really knock them out. Thanks to everyone that took the time to read too!

darkmonkey99: You're clairvoyant or something, I had the "mom" idea written for quite some time, but you called it.