Chapter Fourteen

Tenzin says that the portal to the spirit world may not allow us access. He talked about being worthy and ill intent. To be allowed to keep our physical body takes special types of people. What I got from that is that he isn't too hopeful of my chances. That doesn't make me feel too confident.

Shit.

If I can't go, I just might go crazy. Opal refuses to go. That just leaves me, Tenzin, and Mako. I'm not a spiritual person. I'm a pissed off vamp with plenty of blood on my hands.

And plenty on my clothes.

We're pressed for time since we had to stop back at Tenzin's first. Pema said that she hadn't returned to her physical body. Then, he had to grab a mixture for us to swallow so that we could cleanse our auras so that it would be easier to make the transition between worlds.

"Opal, please come with us. We need your help. What if Jinora found Bolin and Korra, but she can't reach us to tell?" Mako argues.

"It's not about being vindictive. What if the wolves find them first and we're all stuck in the spirit world? Then what? All of us going isn't smart," Opal replies.

I stare at her and sigh. I don't agree with her reasoning, but she's partly right. "Fine. Stay. You're a grown woman capable of your own choices. Any guilt you may feel will be on you."

She glowers at me and I return her stare. Finally, Mako clears his throat.

"Let's move."

#

Korra still isn't waking up and the thing invading my body seems to be getting stronger. I don't know how, but I can just tell. I'm fighting, but my energy is slowly slipping away and "he" knows it. If only I could send a message somehow. If only my friends would find me.

#

We all reach the spot of the portal and Tenzin begins to recite an incantation. The ground starts to shake and break apart, revealing a bright light that shines through the trees. I can feel its splendor from here. It's composed of powerful magic unlike any I've ever felt. It far exceeds my own, but it doesn't feel intimidating as much as welcoming.

But, I'm not planning on stepping inside, even though the urge is there. I can't wait any longer. I have to find Bolin.

"Well, this is it. We just try to step inside. We'll either be allowed to proceed inside, or rejected. Simple as that," Tenzin says.

Asami crosses her arm and her eyes go red. She's nervous. I'll be surprised if she even makes it through. After all, some people feel that vampires are descendants of demons. Hell's spawn.

We shall see.

"On the count of three, then," Mako suggests.

He glances back at me, but I turn away. I hear him sigh.

"Fine. One, two…"

#

On three, we all step forward until the bright yellow-white light engulfs us. There's a sharp, prickling sensation like hot needles all over my skin, but then, it disappears and I open my eyes to see…

Darkness.

It feels wrong, so damn wrong.

"I don't think it's supposed to be like this. This doesn't feel right." Tenzin shudders. "My little girl is probably lost out here somewhere."

"Well, let's find her, then. Any idea where she could be?"

Before he can answer, there are a number of growls from all around us. Demons. More than we can handle. We turn back to back and wait for them to strike. But, before anything happens, a group of them parts and a bald man with a scar cutting through his left eyebrow steps forward.

"Imagine my surprise when my friends here told me that the portal has been breached. And by the likes of you, no less. Are you looking for the girl?"

"Where is she?"

He laughs.

"She's awfully powerful for someone so young. Makes harvesting her spirit incredibly exciting."

"Where is she!" Tenzin asks again.

"I'll tell you what, you can have the girl or the avatar, not both."

As if he'd just give Korra up. But, it's enough to make Tenzin hesitate. But, I don't. I leap into the air with all the speed I can muster towards the man, but he's even quicker. He shoots me with a blast so powerful that I nearly am pushed back out of the portal.

"Asami!" Mako cries. I feel him shoot off two blasts himself.

I pop back up and try to re-evaluate the situation. There's no way we can take on this many actual demons and this man, who I'm assuming is Zaheer. I put my hand on Mako's shoulder to stop him.

"We need to go. This isn't a fight we can win."

Mako's fists clench and then unclench and he hangs his head down. Tenzin doesn't move. I begin to reach for him, but he lets out a deafening roar and starts to attack like a raging bull. Mini cyclones spin all around us, lifting us off of our feet. It does the same to the demons and they're sent flying all over. Zaheer counters the attack with a rotation in the other direction leaving Mako and I to do our best just to remain upright.

"Where is my daughter!"

Zaheer and his minions trying to surround us again and I growl in rage. This isn't how this is supposed to go. None of this is going as planned.

The demons have cloven feet and horns. They're hands are clawed and teeth are long and sharp. Their goat slitted eyes stare at us in anticipation of our demise. But, that won't happen if I can help it. I make my way over to Tenzin as quickly as possible through the cutting wind and demons attacking. Mako goes after the ones that are threatening to get closer, but I reach Tenzin before any of them do any damage. With a well placed blow, I knock the master airbender out and quickly hoist him over my shoulder. As fast as I can, I reach Mako and pull him back out the portal with me, not before I steal another glance at Zaheer, who stands there, arms crossed, laughing at his small victory. It takes all my willpower to not turn back around, alone.

No one follows us out the portal and I set Tenzin down as gently as possible. Mako lets out a string of curses.

"Opal's not here. Bolin is missing. Korra has been taken and so has Jinora. What the fuck are we going to do?"

For once, I don't have an answer.

#

The seer told me to bring something of Bolin's to connect him to his soul's resonance. I brought his favorite jacket. He takes it with a nod.

"I'm going to close my eyes and feel for his energy. Sometimes, it's a quick process and sometimes it takes much longer, especially if the one you seek is close to death. Understand that even though we seek, we may not always like what we find."

"I understand. I'm ready."

"Okay, child." He closes his eyes and grips the jacket tighter. The minutes tick by and there's no response. I grow more and more afraid. What if he's already gone? After about twenty minutes, he opens his eyes. "This is odd. I feel almost like a remnant of him. It's as if he does not completely dwell inside of his own body. He is hanging on by a thread. He is also not on this plane. He is currently cloaked in the spirit world."

"Oh my gosh." I twist around to look for my friends, but then I remember that I took off. I should have gone with them. They could be rescuing him right now. "I- I have to go." I reach in my pocket to pay the man his money. He hands me Bolin's jacket and I thank him.

"Good luck. Be safe. I see a rough path ahead, for you and your allies."

I heed his words, but I know the path that I must take.

#

Opal's phone goes to voicemail once again and I start to think of all the ways that I can torture and maim her. Before I can try her again, Tenzin starts to come to and my phone rings. It's Ginger. I let Mako deal with Tenzin and I answer the phone.

"Please have good news."

"Well, hello to you too, beautiful."

"Ginger, please."

"You're no fun when you're pining after someone else. I get it though. You have a world to save and all that. You're so… passionate about so many things. It's what I love about you. We found a trail that felt very dark. None of us wanted to venture any further, but I can text you the address. Go rescue your friends."

"Thank you, Ginger. I will make it up to you, if I survive. I promise."

"Hmm, you'd better vamp girl." She hangs up and a few seconds later, my phone pings. It's the address.

I turn and find Tenzin sitting on a stump glaring at me. I face his stare head on. "You can't rescue your daughter if you're dead. You said that only those worthy can enter the spirit world, but Zaheer didn't feel too worthy to me. That energy inside felt dark and wrong. He's done something. He's running things and I can almost guarantee that's where he has Korra and Jinora. Ginger just called and said that the wolves found an area with plenty of dark energy while following the trail. We get inside and we find them."

"I wasn't thinking clearly, I know that. I pride myself on my level headedness, but my daughter is in danger and I will take on death himself to get her back."

"Then, let's hope that death stays the hell out of the way because I have a girl to rescue and tell that I want to be with her."

Mako looks at me surprised.

"What? Perspective, Mako. I know what I feel and I'm not going to deny it any longer."

"Asami?" I hear a voice say. "Did you call me?"

"Korra?" I say aloud.

"Asami? Who are you talking to?"

"Asami, it hurts."

"It's Korra. I hear her. It's the blood link." A blood link is the bond between a vampire and human. They can hear each other's thoughts and feelings. They can find each other.

"Korra, I'm going to find you. I promise you that. I will stop your pain."

"You'll find me?"

"No matter what, Korra. You are mine to protect."

"I trust you. Just…hurry."

The bond closes and leaves an overwhelming sense of loss in its place. I clench my shirt over my heart. I've never bonded with anyone and I didn't know it would feel like this. Having it closed feels like being forced back underground after seeing the sun for the first time.

I need that.

I need Korra.

"What happened?" Mako asks.

"Our bond. She opened it somehow. She asked me to find her."

"Can you feel her now?"

I close my eyes and my heart starts to beat quicker. "Yes."

My phone rings and this time it's Opal. "Where the fuck are you?"

"Bolin is in the spirit world trapped somehow."

"Imagine that," I say dryly. "Get your ass back to the portal before I drain your bone marrow."

"Glad that you're still alive too, Asami."

"Let's see how much longer that lasts."