Saviour

[POV: Asami]

I was Amon's shadow. A dark shape he dragged behind him on the ground, like a feeble, mangled prey. He paraded me throughout the city, walking in the middle of the streets while all beheld him in fear. Smoke rose from the pores of his skin, his clothes burned like paper. I was trailed along in the dirt as he headed towards the edge of the Earth. An endless chasm of grief.
I screamed.
I begged him to release me.
But in my throat there was no voice.
And I could not be severed from him.


I woke up with the taste of ashes on my tongue. A dream, more vivid than reality. I examined the light outside my window and guessed it was midday. Had I slept, or had I been in a trance?

What was consciousness, anyway? Nothing but an abstract notion, something I could not slap, grasp, strangle, hold in my arms. Something I could neither hate nor love.

But Amon, Amon was real.

I remembered his words. He would not see me that day, or the next. He'd offered me freedom. But he was a deceiver. He'd swallowed my freedom the moment he'd set eyes on me.

Ah, but he needed me.
And I, him.

I would not wait for Amon, like I had the previous day. It would be fruitless, desperate. I had to go outside, clear my mind, breathe. Quickly, I got dressed and put on my boots, then covered my head with a scarf.

As I walked passed the kitchen, I saw him. He sat by the radio, resting his arm on the table. His Lieutenant was there as well, but they did not speak to each other. They were like strangers, waiting on the hands of the clock and letting the seconds expound the principles of time. I would have liked to call out to Amon, just to see his eyes again, but instead I made for the stairway.

Once on the street, I felt exposed, so I decided to buy a pair of sunglasses. I'd left all my things at Air Temple Island, though my father had sent me a few clothes and money from home. I was no longer his daughter, yet he still seemed to think himself my father.

When he put the change in my hand and wished me a pleasant day, the young storekeeper reminded me of Mako. He had the same smile. I wondered what Amon's smile would have looked like without his scars.

Behind my new lenses, the world had suddenly grown colder. I wandered through the crowds, my mind still there, with him. No matter how far I walked, it was as though I had never left the headquarters.

There was a large gathering near the Council building. I drew near, wondering what had drawn so many people there. Flashbulbs popped in every direction, and journalists scrambled to reach the front rows, like waves battling to reach the shore. I pulled my scarf further over my face and infiltrated their ranks, trying to get a better view. Behind a stand with a microphone stood he Councilman named Tarrlok.

A man gestured towards him, signaling that it was time for him to begin. Tarrlok cleared his throat and pushed back one of his braids over his shoulder, making it slide against the fine silk of his garment.

"Citizens of Republic City," he said, "You have endured enough. For too long, wolves have been allowed to tear your peace apart. The Equalists have challenged the foundations of this great society, and have refused to submit to its laws. Agitation has filled the streets. Unease has entered your households. And now is the time to take your city back."

Some murmured, others rose their voices in agreement.

"We must put an end to this disorder. Drastic measures must be taken against the Equalists. We have been patient, we have given them a chance to retreat and obey the law, but they have rejected our tolerance and mistaken it for weakness. My task-force has been unable to do its job properly, because the city Council has been afraid, yes afraid to implement the necessary policies, tools that would help us attack the Equalist problem at its core. And that core, my friends, is the jealously and hatred of nonbenders."

I pulled back, not wanting to be seen.

"Let it be known that from this day forward, the Equalists have officially been declared enemies of the City. As a result, new legislation has just been approved by the council. First, all people found guilty of sympathizing with the Equalists shall be subject to interrogation and, if need be, to sanctions by law. Second, all people found guilty of being members of the Equalists shall be imprisoned, pending a collective trial. Third, all people found guilty of attending Equalist rallies shall be imprisoned, pending a collective trial. Fourth, in order to ensure their safety, a curfew, effective from eight o'clock in the evening has been imposed upon all nonbenders of the City. Whoever chooses to disobey the curfew shall also be imprisoned, pending a collective trial."

"End the Equalist terror!" A man screamed.
"What of our rights?" Another one demanded.

"I am aware that these measures may appear strict, but they are merely temporary. With these new laws, my task-force will undoubtedly end this so-called Revolution and peace will be restored. Once Amon is captured and brought to justice, a collective trial will decide the fate of his supporters. My goal is not to oppress you, my fellow citizens. Nonbenders, you are not targeted in vain. We are doing this for your own protection; we do not want you to get caught in the crossfire when we confront Amon's belligerent forces. Do you wish to be arrested along with the real Equalists who roam the streets at night? I think not. And that is why this curfew is necessary. Furthermore, it will discourage Equalist activities. Let them operate in broad daylight, instead of hiding in the darkness!"

Tarrlok gathered his papers and let the mitigated reaction of the crowd sink in. Then, as he prepared to leave, he added:

"I am fighting for peace. And if ever have the honour of being elected head of council one day, I am prepared to hear all of your grievances. If there truly is a problem between benders and non-benders in Republic City, I am the right man to solve it."

Peace. Could Tarrlok truly bring peace back to the city? His methods did indeed seem unfair, and my heart raced with indignation at the thought of having a curfew imposed on non-benders only. But it had come to this. The Revolution had gone too far. Such violence in the streets; it had never happened before. I knew very little about Tarrlok, only that Korra disliked him. And that meant nothing to me, for I no longer trusted Korra's judgment. She was the Avatar, and yet she had chosen to join the Fire Ferrets instead of taking care of her duties from the start. And now things had evolved in such a way that only methods like Tarrlok's seemed like the right path to take.

After the initial excitement, the audience settled down and slowly dispersed. I took the long way back to the headquarters, wondering if Tarrlok was to be trusted.

I found out soon enough.
When I got to my room, an Equalist soldier handed me a large envelope and said it was from my father. I sat down, opened it and emptied its contents on my mattress. A dozen pamphlets, all signed Kholtarr, poured out, followed by a note in my father's hand. I picked it up and read it.

All it said was Tarrlok, saviour of Republic City.