Author Notes:

Hey everyone! So I finished the first chapter of a new story. I'm opening the floor for opinions and possibilities from any reader on how to continue this. I have an idea in my head but nothing set in stone. If you want your imagination to come to life hit me up! Message, review, or whatever. I enjoy challenges and it will keep me on my toes.

Hope you enjoy the first chapter!

EM ;)

Balance Part 1

Asami

There is a quote I read years ago, "inside each of us, there is the seed of both good and evil. It's a constant struggle as to which one will win. And one cannot exist without the other."

The Avatar was trained, from the moment he or she was discovered, how to balance the struggle within themselves and use the wisdom of their past lives to distinguish between what is good and evil.

They, for the betterment of this world, put it upon themselves to always shed light and fight darkness even if it was within themselves.

With every action, there is a consequence even if it wasn't intentional.

The consequence of this accident should have been my death.

No one had expected the explosion.

We had just infiltrated Varrick's Laboratory where the genius had stored enough spirit vines to level a large city when it happened.

Varrick had turned around in shock as the Chief Beifong, and Team Avatar entered his lab, dropping the smallest of the jarred vines, but that was all it took to start the reaction.

"Everyone get out!" yelled Korra as her eyes began to glow and her voice transformed into a harmony of voices.

I knew. I knew Korra, my love, my wife, would not survive the explosion.

As I grabbed the still shocked Varrick by the collar, I forced the other members of Team Avatar out the door.

I could see the realization in their eyes as the glow behind us intensified.

"Hurry and take this idiot with you," I said throwing Varrick into Bolin's arms. "The vines are activating, you only have a few minutes to get the ships."

As I turned around to reenter the room, Mako grabbed my arm.

"Asami… you won't..."

Pulling his hand from my arm, I gave him a look I hoped he understood.

"I made a vow on our wedding day that I would never leave her face anything alone."

With tears in his eyes, he turned and ran out.

Taking a deep breath, I reentered the room and saw in awe how Korra, with her arms outstretched, was using all the elements to hold the blast within the room.

"Asami?" I heard Korra groan through her teeth.

Even though her eyes were filled with the light of Avatar, I could see the terror in them.

I could also see the sweat that was beginning to pour down her face and the strength that it took to control the blast just long enough for our friends to reach the airships.

"I love you, Korra," I said as I wrapped my arms around her waist and buried my face into her hair and shoulder.

"I can't live without you and remember you promised you wouldn't leave me again. So, take me with you, this time."

I could feel the tension in her body as she spoke.

"Go, Asami, please."

But as I looked up, I knew it was already too late.

"Tell me you love me you big goof."

There was only a moment of hesitation before she too realized there was no turning back.

"I love you Asami. With every last bit of my being."

That was when Korra's strength depleted, and within those few seconds, before the blast engulfed us, I felt her strong body turn and wrap me in her arms as if to shield me from what we both knew would kill us instantly.

Korra

I didn't have time to get angry or yell because I knew if I had been in Asami's place I would have done the same.

She was my life and my world, and it was all about to end, but at least we would be together. I released the Avatar State and held my wife for the last time.

I felt the impact of the explosion as the pain radiated through my spine. It wasn't what I had expected. It wasn't burning or deteriorating, but an overload of power, no, not power, but of spirit.

It felt as if waves were crashing into me one after another, and even though it felts like it took minutes, it all happened in a matter of seconds.

It had only taken those few seconds for the unthinkable to happen.

The Avatar State surged. The overflow of spirit power activated the Avatar, but something else as well. Something dark that was also being pulsed and filled with energy.

Control it! I heard the voice that I recognized as Raava say.

Vaatu is taking the opportunity to absorb power and release himself from you! Control it and keep him within your body!

It felt like there was a clash within my chest and knew that both spirits were fighting to gain control, get the upper hand, but what did Raava mean by release himself?

Didn't he just want control over my body? To use me?

Even if he did try to take over, I knew that light, no matter how small, would overcome him and I would never allow myself to submit to his will.

But that wasn't what she had meant.

The few moments I questioned my own strength to deal with the consequences of Vaatu release were the few moments of vulnerability he needed to surge his spirit and use the last pulse of spirit power to thrust himself into another vessel.

One that wasn't trained to fight his evil, who couldn't understand what it meant to house a spirit as strong as his.

He plunged himself into Asami.

Asami

Everything went white, and all l could do was press my face into the crook of Korra's neck as she held me.

Everything after that was surreal. I felt as the power of the spirit vines hit us, and at the same moment, I felt Korra's body tense, her face raised to the sky and I watched as beams of light shot from her eyes and mouth.

Everything around us seemed to have stopped, except for the whirlwind of power that engulfed us.

I felt it then.

The pulse that threw me out of her arms taking the air in my lungs with it.

I laid there gasping on my back as my chest burned in agony when I realized we were no longer in the laboratory. I saw the beauty of the sky and the bright colors of only one magical place.

The spirit world.

Still clutching my chest, I turned to my side watching as the beams of light extinguish from Korra's eyes.

She fell to her knees holding herself as she too gasped for air.

We had survived. Together, we had survived.

When she turned to me, instead of the happiness I had expected to see, I saw fear and shock.

As I reached out to her, I saw the dark shadows that wrapped themselves around my arm.

The pain struck suddenly, and I clutched myself in pain as I watched and felt in disbelief the cold and painful touch that lingered as the shadows moved along not just one, but both my arms.

I couldn't help but scream and try to claw at whatever was crawling inside my skin.

Korra ran to my side taking both arms as she too needed to see what was happening to me.

"Vaatu," she whispered.

The pain and heat on my chest intensified as if I was branded.

"Korra, my chest," I cried to her in my anguish.

Korra quickly acted as she split open my blouse revealing marks that I had only seen on her prior. Marks that resembled the markings of Raava, but in my case instead of glowing in beautiful blue light, it seemed to absorb light. Like a black hole, the dark lines seemed to draw you in, consume you.

"He escaped. I couldn't hold him in nor could Raava subdue him."

Korra looked into my eyes, and I saw the pain in them. I knew without asking that my eyes had turned red and I began to see how the world around me was tinting to the shades of blood.

"Kill me," I begged.

I watched her body flinch at my words, but I took her hand and pressed it against my cheek.

"Korra if you love me, kill me, kill me while you still can."

Korra was shaking her head as tears streamed her face.

"Please!"

As I yelled, I heard my voice change from something soft to something hard, dark, and grotesque.

But Korra just sat there crying holding her hand to my cheek saying over and over again, "I can't… I… can't."

I felt it. I felt the moment Vaatu fully merged with my soul.

The lingering painful coldness in my arms disappeared, but the anger, the need to cause pain and suffering began blossoming in my chest.

In the horrid voice that had taken over me, I used the last of my will to speak one more plea.

"Korra if you cannot kill me, please imprison me. Stop me from becoming something I am not. Stop me before I can't stop myself from hurting you or anyone else."

Instead of answering Korra leaned in and took my lips, kissing me as passionate and loving as she ever had.

As she pulled away, she caressed my cheek one last time and spoke the last words I expected to ever hear.

"I will always love you."

As she stood, I felt the urge to run away, but I knew it was only Vaatu.

With all my strength I sat back on my heels and lowered my head, clenching my hands on my legs as I waited for whatever Korra would do.

I had expected it to be painful, but the power of the Avatar State was filled with so much light that for a moment I thought it had released me from Vaatu.

I was wrong.

The earth around me shifted and even though I was scared; I watched as roots sprouted from the ground and encircled me.

I felt as each element caressed me as the encircling tree took me higher and higher till I could no longer see the scenery of the spirit world. I felt as each limb thickened and closed in and like a child in a womb, I slowly curled into myself.

I felt as Korra preferred element washed softly over me as if in one last embrace before it too as well as all the other elements disappeared.

Whatever Korra had done the hate and rage that had begun to engulf me was gone, and I felt only sweet sleep awaiting me.

I had one last thought, and a gut feeling before unconsciousness overtook me.

This imprisonment will only be temporary. Please Korra, have the strength to kill me when we see each other again.

Korra

Tears were rushing down my face as I finished encasing Asami in what I could only call a spirit tree. It had been created from the elements, the power Raava, and all the power the spirits around me offered.

They had all been witness to what Asami was becoming. They all knew the danger of allowing Vaatu to roam free and without a plea, they all lent me their strength to stop him.

I felt as Asami's spirit calmed within the tree and her consciousness went into a deep sleep.

I stumbled forward and fell at the foot of the tree sobbing. The pain in my chest was so inconsolable that the only thing I could do was scream into the wind.

I didn't know how long I had laid there crumpled at the tree when I heard the soft sounds of footsteps.

"Korra!"

My head whirled at the sound of Mako's voice.

It had never occurred for me to turn back to the place Asami and I had landed, but there in front of me stood a massive beam of yellow light.

I had created a third spirit portal.

I watched as not only Mako, but Bolin and Opal ran to me.

Still, in a fog I could only stand as Mako reached me, patting me, and checking to make sure I was unharmed.

Bolin started babbling first as he reached me holding his side from the run.

"When we saw the spirit portal, we knew you must have somehow stopped the explosion, but when we got there we couldn't find you or Asami that why we decided to step throu…"

Bolin looked around as if now realizing I was alone.

"Where's Asami?"

I couldn't tell them what had happened. Asami would have wanted her friends to remember her as she was before. If I told them the truth, they would never have closure and be left with only what-ifs, as I was.

"She didn't make it," I said as my voiced cracked and the sobbed erupted from my chest again.

It was Mako who drew me in and loaned me the strength he always seemed to have.

"It's ok Korra, she's in a better place now," he said as he rubbed circles on my back.

But I knew the truth. No, she wasn't. She was trapped with the spirit of darkness and chaos.

Still unable to control my emotions my friends led me to the portal, and we exited the spirit world.

Esmay

I watched from my hiding place in the grass as the Avatar and her comrades left through the portal.

Curiously, I flew around the tree she had erected in the middle of the grasslands of the spirit world.

"Little Sprite, you shouldn't fly too close," said an odd-looking spirit as he appeared from inside the tall grass.

"Little I may be, but older and wiser I am than you, worthless spirit," I said as my sharp, glittering fangs emerged.

He only huffed and continued on his way.

They called me by many names here in the spirit world as well as in the human world. I wasn't sure exactly how I was created, but I wasn't all spirit nor was I all creature. I was something in between, and because of that, unlike the other spirits, I was allowed to cross the fine veil between the spirit world and the human world.

I had watched the constant clash between these two spirits even before this realm was filled with the variety of spirits it was filled with today, but never had I ever seen this.

An opportunity to tip the scales, but to which end?

I reached out and touched the bark of the tree and felt the shiver of its burning cold.

"You have gained much power, Vaatu, my old friend."

7 years later- Korra

The seven years that had gone by hadn't been easy on me, and till this day I was unable to return to the tree I had imprisoned Asami in.

I didn't understand why. Was it because I felt regret? Sorrow? Angry at myself?

No matter the reason each and every day I dedicated myself to my Avatar duties. Righting the wrongs of so many and saving the lives of hundreds.

But none of it took away the guilt or sadness I felt in my heart.

My friends had all moved on with their lives. They had the closure to do so. Asami had died to be there for the one she loved.

I still had dreams about Asami. How she begged me to end her life knowing full well what was happening to her, but I couldn't. Even in my dreams, I couldn't find the courage to do what I knew was right.

I sat there in the grass as the sea air blew my hair and twisting the platinum wedding band I still wore my finger.

"Korra?"

I turned my head to see Jinora walking towards me.

She had found me sitting at the edge of a cliff on Temple Island. It seemed the only place I ever found peace lately.

Her light feet stopped, and she sank next to me, her legs crossed underneath her.

"Your spirit is darkening. I can feel it, and even catch hints of it whirling around you, always moving as if it's never at peace."

In the past seven years, Jinora had deepened her connection to the spirit world, and it allowed her to see if not briefly into the soul or spirit of the people around her.

It allowed her to help them, comfort them, free them from troubles this world had inflicted on them. It would probably make her grandfather proud to know she truly became a nomadic monk who traveled the world helping the helpless and always offering love and peace.

"I can't stop missing her. I just want her back so bad Jinora."

Like everyone else, Jinora only knew the lie, but even then, she sat there and thought before responding to me.

"Why don't you return to the place you lost her. I know we had a funeral for her already, but maybe you should have one of your own. Mediate and ask that her spirit guide you to move past this pain that afflicts your soul."

I nodded.

I had always known I needed to go back. To make my peace with what I had done and ask for forgiveness.

She would be there. Maybe I would feel her even for a moment, just one more time.

"Your right. I have to make my peace."

I picked up my staff opening my air glider and jumped off the cliff.

The glider quickly caught the currents of air I bent, and it flew me across the water to Republic City and to the portal that had been created seven years ago.

It hadn't been hard entering the spirit world, but the moment I stepped through I knew something was terribly wrong.

The tree I had created seven years ago was destroyed, and all around it was black ash as if the land had been scorched.

I dropped my staff running towards the tree afraid of what I would find, but all I saw was broken shards of wood.

The snapping of a twig forced my body to turn defensively. I watched as a small round spirit bounced towards me. Its hair was like ivy, and its body was round like a turnip with eyes and a mouth.

"You are too late, Avatar. The dark one has been released."

I felt a mixture of excitement and terror of the idea but kept my composure.

"What do you mean released?"

"Esmay, the Sprite, led humans to the tree. Humans released the dark one."

"Was she ok? Did she go willingly?"

The tiny spirit turned its head as if confused.

"Dark one is not the one you love. Only Vaatu in the body of your loved one emerged."

As if it had only been there to give the message the spirit disappeared into the air and left me in utter despair.

Unaloq

It had started in my dreams.

I was atop a beautiful throne, but not the throne of the Northern Watertribe, no, a larger throne and at my feet knelt the rulers of the world. Bowing to me.

Beside me stood a beautiful woman dressed in a revealing red and black dress, her ruby lips as deep crimson as her eyes, and her voice as beautiful as an angel's.

"Release me, and I shall give you all the treasures of this world and if anyone would stand in your way…"

As she extended out her hand the world in front of me seemed to shimmer and change, and I watched as the scenery morphed to a vast plain where the earth was disrupted, bent metal shimmered, and shards of ice protruded.

In the center of the destroyed field stood a large mountain of soldier's bodies from all nations and on top them was the woman. Her body glistened in the moonlight as the blood of her victims clothed her.

I could not take my eyes off the beauty as she looked like a goddess come to earth, and as if she could hear my thoughts, she spoke with an unworldly voice.

"I will make you king among all nations. Everyone will know and fear your name for I will forever be by your side as your mighty sword."

Even in my dream, her voice drove fear into my heart, but as her words replayed in my head, it changed that fear into excitement.

It took me longer to recognize that the dream was not just a dream, but a vision. A vision of a future that could be within my reach.

A spirit had come to me during those nights that cemented the reality of it all, but her presence never lasted.

"If you seek to become what has been promised you must first find the tree. Within the tree lies the blade you shall use to bring the strongest kings to their knees."

"Where is the tree!?"

I nearly yelled at the little Sprite, but I watched as disdain lined her face, and I quickly added, "Please."

"The tree lies within the grasslands of the Spirit World, but I warn you do not allow the Avatar to figure out your plan for she will drop on you like a hammer on an anvil. But the moment you released your blade, the Avatar will not have the strength to stop you."

It took me years to find the tree. The tree that encased my Goddess.

I also hadn't expected to find the Sprite sitting at the foot of the tree grazing the raised root so loving either.

"Hello, Human, you have done well to find me and the tree."

I stepped forward falling to my knees in front of the little Sprite.

"What do I need to do? How do I release my Goddess?"

The Sprite smiled a devilish smile that was lined with her bright, sharp teeth.

"You must find the scientist Varrick. He understands how to control the power of the vines. That power is the only way to release her from her prison. You must form a team that will help your Goddess develop the strength she needs to destroy the Avatar. Do not underestimate her. When she first emerges, she may seem weak, but the power that dwells inside is stronger than you could imagine."

I took in all the information the creature told me and began my search.

It took another year before my search was complete.

"Varrick I swear if you kill us all I will beat you in the afterlife," said Ming-Hua.

Varrick snorted as he placed the vine bombs around the tree in strategic places.

"My genius mind won't kill us…. We might become a little crispy but no, not dead."

I watched as Esmay, the sprite, slowly floated farther away from the tree and decided maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to step back too.

"Ok, let's have some fun!" Varrick said as he ran lowering his goggles over his eyes.

As he reached me and the large bolder Ghazan erected as a blast shield, I handed Varrick the remote detonator.

"3, 2, 1…"

The loud blast shook the ground beneath us, and there was no way it hadn't done damage to the tree, but as Ghazan lowered the earth, the tree looked exactly the same.

I was about to allow my anger to erupt when Esmay spoke.

"It's happening…"

It started as a small beam of light in one of the crevasses of the tree. It was bright and white, but as all the light seemed to brighten, I could see something dark within it. As if trapped in an orb of light it moved from one end to the other trying to force it way out.

As the white orb started to shatter an agonizing voice shouted through the empty grassland.

"NOOO!"

Then the tree erupted.

Everyone except for Esmay was thrown back with such force that it took a few minutes after the explosion for any of us to stand.

I was the first to see her, my Goddess.

She stood there as beautiful as I remembered her in my dreams.

She spoke to Esmay and caressed her cheek before walking towards me.

"Let us leave. Our future awaits us."

Korra-Present

As I entered the portal, I had no clue where to start my search for Vaatu, but I hadn't needed to worry, as I entered back into the human world, there she stood. She was so close just one step, and I could touch her. But what had stopped me from stepping forward was how she looked exactly how she had seven years ago.

Her raven black hair waved in the wind. The blood-red dress she wore was so revealing it caused a blush to form on my cheeks, but I instantly knew it wasn't Asami.

Asami would never wear anything like that. And her eyes. The beautiful emerald eyes I loved to lose myself in were replaced with crimson ones.

"I felt you enter the spirit world. I thought maybe it was time for our reunion, Korra."

I felt my heart nearly break as her beautiful voice reached my ears. Asami's voice. I shook myself reminding myself that this was not Asami.

"Release her," I said with the authority of the Avatar which I was glad had not shaken with the emotions I felt inside.

She laughed.

"Now you want to release me?"

The smile on her lips was wrong, and my heart broke even further as waves of guilt crashed over me.

"Seven years, Korra, that's how long it took you to finally show your face to me again. Did you not know how many times I cried for you? Pleaded for you to pull me away from the pain?"

"You're not Asami. You took her from me…"

My words were cut off as the crimson red left her eyes and emerald green emerged.

"Oh, but I am. I am the wife you abandoned. The wife you left to be tortured in the pit of darkness for all eternity."

She extended her hand as a small creature seemed to materialize in it.

"Esmay, my only friend, found the way to release me and to take me away from that painful place."

The small creature bowed before it floated to Asami's side.

"This is my one and only warning. Stay out of my way cause unlike you, I will grant mercy and kill you each and every time you reincarnate. You won't have to worry about your old world because I am here to create a new one."

"A new world?"

Her eyes lit up red, and the unnatural smile twitched up.

"A world filled with chaos and destruction and it would only be a fraction of the misery and pain you allowed me to suffer those years in captivity."

"No," I said weakly. "I didn't mean for you to suffer."

"Consequences, Korra… There are always consequences."

Without really realizing what I was doing I took the two steps wrapping my arms around Asami.

"I'm sorry."

For a brief second, I felt the body in my arms relax, and a soft sigh leave her mouth.

Suddenly my body was entrapped in tentacles of darkness and right before my body was thrown away from her I saw the smallest of tears trickle down her cheek.

"I am too," I heard her whisper as the dark pulse of darkness threw my body, but as I flew across the air, I manage to stop the painful collision with the ground as I bent the earth to sand.

When I looked back up, I saw she was gone.

"Asami…" I whispered into the wind. "What am I going to do now?"

End of Chapter Notes

Like I said I'm taking opinions for this story. What would you like to see? Where would you like this to go? Or if you simply just want to review by all means go for it.

Till next time,

EM ;)

Credits and footnotes

Quote by Eric Burdon:

quotes/eric_burdon_504119?src=t_good_and_evil