Katara was walking down a huge path way through a crystal cavern. She kept on walking and stopped before a giant altar…it was empty.
"You're too late." said a voice.
Katara turned around quickly and looked at Marina as she entered her line of sight.
"The trident is mine, the world is mine. You failed." Marina said to her.
"No I haven't! We can still stop you!" Katara screamed.
"Oh really? How will you do that?" asked Marina.
"No! Don't tell her Katara!" Zuko yelled, running towards her.
"You have stood in my way for the last time!" Marina yelled, raising her trident. With a burst of light, Zuko flew backwards to the other side of the cavern and died. With a snarl of anger, Marina turned towards Katara and unleashed a blast at her.
Katara's eyes flew open as her sweat drenched her blankets. She turned towards Zuko and caressed his forehead.
"Katara?" he asked.
"I had another nightmare." Katara answered him.
Zuko leaned up and kissed her on the forehead. Then with a yawn, he pulled her into his arms and he laid down with Katara beside him.
"Just go to sleep, nothing can hurt you." Zuko said.
Katara closed her eyes and began to drift back to sleep.
"Sleep now…nothing will harm you." she heard Zuko say again.
"Except me." answered a cold voice.
Marina stood on the edge of a giant waterfall with lush trees growing around her. She raised her trident and the water below her rose and took the form of Avatar Kuruk.
"It is an honor to be in the presence of the avatar born from the Water Nation." Marina said to him.
"It should be," Kuruk answered, "Where am I?"
"We are on Iglaceau Falls…above your grave." Marina answered.
"My grave? How did I get here? I was in the Spirit World and now I'm here, explain this!" he said to her.
"Forgive me Avatar, my name is Marina and I am Water Queen, it is I who summoned you." Marina said to him.
"Indeed? And how is it that you were able to summon me?" Kuruk asked.
"With this." Marina said, holding up her trident, "Behold the black trident of ancient past."
"The black trident? It was last seen by King Tridon when he imprisoned it in the great crystal cave." Kuruk said in awe. "Long had I wasted my life in vain hunting for its power."
"Well now it's mine." Marina said with a smirk. "Now to business, I have disturbed your eternal sleep to recruit you."
"Recruit me? To what?" he asked her in anger. "The great Avatar Kuruk does not work for anyone!"
"It seems that even in death your pride has not escaped you." Marina said to him. "You are still a member of the Water Nation and I am queen…you answer to me."
"I answer to no one!" Kuruk snarled.
"So it seems." Marina said before turning around. "And I was going to offer you something in return."
"Oh really? What can you possibly offer me?"
Marina smiled and turned around to face him, "Honor."
Avatar Kuruk's eyes grew wide in shock when he heard her say the word.
"It's such a shame to see you like this. The once great Avatar Kuruk…broken, and defeated. You were once so powerful you could create great waves with a mere flick of your wrist. But now you're washed up and pompous."
"I am still great!" Kuruk yelled at her.
"It was your pride that ruined your life before it even ended." Marina answered.
Avatar Kuruk closed his eyes to avoid the tears that threatened to escape his eyes, he knew what she was referring to.
"I know what it is you hunt Avatar. What you long for. You seek the spirit Koh. He stole your wife's face and now you seek revenge. Not for your wife, but for yourself."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"In life you were undefeatable and more powerful than any in the world…the mortal world. Koh watched you and he punished you for your overly inflated ego. So now you spend the afterlife traveling the entire spirit world, hunting him. You pretend to be doing your task for your wife and your longing to be with her, but I know the real reason. You seek to kill Koh to restore your honor. You believe that if you kill him, you will regain your lost pride and you will rest in peace. Yes you still want your wife, but not as much as you want to kill the creature."
Marina looked at him and continued, "I can help you with your mission. The spirits cannot harm me but I can harm them. The trident was made by the spirits so I have the power to kill them." As she said this, she waved her hand and the water rose and took the image of Koh.
"It's said that if you kill the Face Stealer, the faces will return to their bodies and they will continue to live on. Tell me, should you complete your quest how will you live with your love?"
Kuruk looked down and he allowed a tear to roll down his cheek. "What do you want me to do?"
"Join me and together we will kill Koh and I will reunite you with your lost love. Together you two shall live on and I will give you back your title as the greatest bender in the world. So you have both your love…and your honor."
She lifted the trident and the water image of Koh burst and created Kuruk's wife. Kuruk looked at her for a split second before she disappeared back into the water.
"Well?" said Marina impatiently.
"I will join you my queen." Kuruk answered, bowing to her.
"Excellent."
This is just the beginning...keep READING!!!