Note: This chapter contains coarse language. I don't own the song Flesh and The Power It Holds by Death. I don't own the Legend of Korra.
Chapter XXXII - The Face of Evil
Intro
"Earth, Fire, Air, Water.
Only the Avatar can master all four elements and bring balance to the world" - Tenzin
"Audacity, the firmness of one's purpose, faith in oneself and creativity.
These, are four factors of the mind, which will decide one's fate: To be a Guardian, or to be guarded" - Esillith
...
Near Republic City, that afternoon.
Mako's p.o.v.
After quite a while, I, who'd dropped down and stayed among the steel beams supporting the plane's left wing, and General Iroh, or just General Iroh, caught up with eight Equalist airplanes flying towards Republic City. This is it, to succeed or to fail.
"Mako, on my mark, we'll take out as many of the aircrafts as possible before they realize we're after them! Then, we may have to get closer on our own to finish the job, do you understand me?", the General loudly instructed me in order for me to hear what he said beside the roaring sound of the biplane's engine.
"Loud and clear, sir!", I called back to him.
"Alright! 1! 2! 3! Fire!".
Immediately, we lightningbent at two planes, and the one that got struck by General Iroh's lightning instantly crashed against the one next to it. Nice! Five more to go!
"That's spectacular, sir! We just took down three of them!", I complimented Iroh.
"It's not over yet, Mako! Now, they notice us!".
I looked at the airplanes and saw that they began... to split into two smaller groups, one heading upwards, one downwards! Damn it, they decide to play hard to catch.
"Which of them are we gonna- Whoa!", I began.
"Hang on!", Iroh shouted, making the plane go up to pursue the first group, consisting of three flying machines, causing me to literally hang on.
Once we were at a fitting distance, the General ordered:
"Fire!".
However, before we were able to lightningbend, we saw a big bola rapidly hurled back at us, getting caught in the main propeller and stalling our second mean of transportation. Upon seeing that we were in trouble, Iroh said aloud:
"We have to abandon the plane! Get out!".
Fleetly, we jumped out of the aircraft, me looking up to see black smoke coming out from the engine near the propeller, and then the flying machine itself exploded. After falling for a while, we used firebending to get close to the second group. The moment we landed on top of one of the biplanes' wings, Iroh firebent at the other one's left propeller, effectively eliminating it! Next, we dropped down to the cockpit and threw the pilot out of there, the general assuming control of the thing right away, while I stood among the steel beams once more, but this time, I was closer to the cockpit than before.
Nonetheless, we heard a strange sound above us and saw a bomb dropped on the tail of our newly hijacked air vehicle! You gotta be joking me. The other three biplanes were directly high up.
"They're going to drop more bombs!", I warned General Iroh.
"Quickly, stop them!".
Without hesitating, we hurriedly and slightly panickedly firebent up to the three enemy aircrafts, one getting a direct hit ( the blast hit its about-to-descend bomb ), one getting one of its wings knocked off, and one getting cut down right at the engine near the main propeller. After that, we were on a crash course to Avatar Aang's statue, and we might be going for the face! Knowing what to do, General Iroh and I got out of the doomed flying machine right at the last second, grabbing hold of the huge Equalist flag attached to Aang's giant staff, as it tore apart. When I looked up to the statue's face, the enormous mask fell off and surprisigly left the statue undamaged.
"Thanks for looking for us, Aang", Iroh directed the statue.
And I swear the face seemed to smile. All the spirits bless you, Avatar Aang.
...
The Equalist Airfield, at that same moment.
Anyu's p.o.v.
While fending off the Machine-Tanks that'd come to stop us, I saw Bolin still damaging the runways, as General Iroh had instructed him. Hastily dodging a big bola coming my way, I waterbent at one of the Machine-Tanks, turning the water into a big, long, sharp piece of ice at the last minute, and the thing got skewered clean through, slamming against another one behind it due to the impact and weight from the ice! Next, I created two water whips, developing their heads into scythe-like shapes, and thrust them into the third one's torso, aggressively ripping its upper half off, throwing it towards the last one of the group, successfully knocking it down. Then, I noticed more of them heading forwards to Bolin. Three of them tried to capture him with their hooked cables. Quickly, I warned him:
"Bolin, look out!".
However, before the cables could touch him, Naga came to his rescue! She grabbed the cables with her jaws and yanked backwards, causing them to fall down, face-first onto the ground. Yes, eat dirt, you bastards! After that, I turned to the last three of the second group and yelled:
"No one takes my Bolin without my permission!".
Forming a great-sized water sphere, I proceeded to bend LOTS OF hardened ice-balls at them, slowly crippling them. Following that, I hurled a big sphere towards them, hitting them flying a short distance away! That'll teach them. When all was said and done, I approached Bolin and he said:
"Thanks for saving my butt, Anyu. I'm glad I have such an awesone girlfr-".
I didn't say anything. Instead, I answered him with the fiercest kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck, my tongue searching for his longingly. At first, he didn't do anything because of being surprised; then, he kissed back, just as passionately, him wrapping his arms around my waist. Once we broke the kiss, Bolin spoke softly, then excitedly:
"That was... that was... the nicest kiss you ever gave me, Anyu!".
"Oh, but that was not the nicest thing for you, sweetie. Wait 'til we're home". I smiled mischievously, and a bit evilly, at him.
There, I'll show you how nice I am.
That was when Naga decided to come close to us and gave us each a lick to the face.
"You're awesome too, Naga!". Bolin laughed while I moved to rub the polar bear-dog's head and neck with both of my hands.
...
Asami's p.o.v.
After destroying all of the Machine-Tanks in the airfield's storage building and warehouse, I and Simel moved on to the hangar to demolish every biplane in there. And in the middle of the ruinous process, we were interrupted by my father, in a Machine-Tank.
"Asami! Simel! What do you think you're doing? You are helping the very people who took your mother and aunt away!", he shouted.
"You don't feel love for Mom anymore. You're too filled with hatred", I replied.
Clearly infuriated, he growled:"You ungrateful, insolent child".
Before he could act, Simel moved her Machine-Tank in front of me.
"Back off, Uncle. If you harm Asami, I will have to hurt you, very badly", she stated with steel in her voice.
"I will teach you both not to meedle with things above your understanding!".
With that, I saw and heard my father and Simel come at each other, engaging in combat. I, then, witnessed an epic showdown between uncle and niece, one trying to achieve first hit upon the other, both of them taking turns blocking one another's moves. Nevertheless, it appeared my father subsequently had the upper hand thank to his knowledge and experience creating and operating the Machine-Tanks. Shortly after, he pummeled Simel's machine down and shattered its windshield with the tank's right hand.
Alarmed, I immediately shot two hooked cables forwards to prevent him from smashing my cousin to bits. Notwithstanding, my father's Machine-Tank's fleetly dodged my attacks. Damn it, he's too skillful!
"I now see there is no chance to save you two!", he spat with venom.
Right after that, we charged at each other, trying to score a damaging strike to stop the fight as quick as possible. Next, due to rage, he knocked my machine down and was about to deliver another blow when something hit him in the back.
"Mr. Sato, you are a horrible father!", someone, with a familiar voice, cried out loud.
Bolin?
Once my father was distracted by his earthbending, and waterbending from Anyu, I guided my Machine-Tank standing back up. Following this, I directed Bolin and Anyu aloud:
"Bolin, Anyu, stop! This is between me and my father!".
Upon hearing my voice, they stopped. My father, then, turned to me. "Very brave, Asami. But I don't think that's wise", he announced.
"Yeah, Asami, I don't think going one on one with him is really a good idea either! Let's us help-", Bolin said aloud.
Ugh, can't he just do as I said and stay out of this?
"No! You two stay right there! I must stop him on my own", I replied to Bolin and Anyu.
"Asami, you don't have to-".
"Enough, Bolin. Let's just stay here and make sure no one gets in or out". That was Anyu's voice.
Thank you.
"This is really touching", my father commented, "but it won't help you beat me".
"No, it won't", I conceded, "because I don't need help".
Then, without hesitating, I charged at him at full speed, aiming to give him a critical hit. Nonetheless, he briskly blocked my Machine-Tank's right hand with his left, only barely. Next, I moved to his left, intending to give his left side a good jab. Nonetheless, he pushed my right hand away to catch the left one. Next, he moved back a little, preparing to hit me either with his right hand or the hooked cable of his right hand. It was a hooked cable aiming at my head. Instantly, I shot a hooked cable to entangle it with his, forcefully pulling his towards me, ripping the end of the titanium cord straight off its socket, unhesitantly hitting the face of his Machine-Tank with my right forearm, smashing the windshield to pieces just like he'd done to Simel and me, the impact knocking him back a little. That's payback number 1, Dad.
After that, we circled each other in order to recuperate and find one another's unguarded areas. Following that, with a loud growl emitting through the radio, my father came at me, putting his Machine-Tank's left shoulder out front, meaning to crash against me and catapult me away to deal serious damage to the machine. In a split second, I moved the tank out of his way, launching a hooked cable from my left hand to bind him, me planning to drag him face first onto the ground. Notwithstanding, I underestimated him, for he dodged it and aimed his left hand at me, and fired a bola, a big, acid-spraying bola forwards to me! No, that's cheating! Once the bola wrapped around my tank, the acid from it began to eat through the whole thing, prompting me to hit 'eject' button before it was too late, the hatch opening up and the seat sent me out of the Machine-Tank. Unfortunately, it sent me straight ahead, forwards to my father, not away from him. Damn it, this is bad!
"Did you say you don't need help? Hmm... I bet you're regretting your erroneous decision alrea-", my father started gloating.
That was when another Machine-Tank, out of nowhere, collided with his, flinging him away from me.
"She said she didn't want help, but I'd help her anyway", Simel spoke with a hint of delight in her voice. "Now you stay down, Uncle. It's over".
"Simel!", I yelped happily, "you're okay!".
"Of course I am, sweet cousin! You think I'd be taken out that easily- I said stay down!".
I immediately turned to look at my father's machine, seeing him standing up, about to retaliate. Nevertheless, my cousin discharged a big bola at him, effectively immobilizing him. Following this, she called my friends:
"Anyu, Bolin, now!".
And then, she moved aside so as to let them bend a huge rock coated by water in the direction of our 'foe', totally knocking the tank down! Payback number 2 to you, Dad. Consequently, we all approached our 'fallen enemy', with Simel being the closest, her tearing open the machine. Then, silence. Shortly after that, my father, all of a sudden, tried to counter and exited his broken invention, fleeing. And I was unexpectedly sad, very sad.
"You really are a horrible father". I was in tear.
Next, I charged my Equalist glove for a medium-leveled electric blast and dispatched him, him falling down on the ground, unconscious. Moments later, I heard Simel get out of 'her' Machine-Tank, me still looking at my knocked-out father, feeling someone putting their hand on my shoulder. I quickly turned around to embrace my cousin, letting tears flow freely down my cheeks.
...
Republic City, inside the Pro-Bending Arena's storage room.
Furroh's p.o.v.
I was horrified. The dying, waning Equalist part in me should be happy; but all I saw and felt was just... horror. He... he did it. He... 'equalized' her. I just kept staring at the defeated Korra. All my life, I hated benders, and bending, more than anything; I even hated the Avatar. But this... this was insanity! Saudorn is dead. Korra's bending is taken away. How in damnation is everyone supposed to stop Agrigula now? This is hopeless.
"Finally, you are powerless", Amon said.
After a while of struggling to her hands and knees, the young Avatar miserably crawled towards Amon, subconsciously trying to bend at him in vain. That was when I heard Liao Zu's voice. Liao Zu? What is he doing here?
"Amon, everything the Avatar said is true, isn't it?", he confronted his 'leader', "I just saw you bloodbend her!". I, then, heard something drop on the floor and got smashed.
"Liao Zu...", I croaked, "run... Get... out of here!".
I heard a gasp. "You bloodbend him too? He is just a kid!".
"Liao Zu... Please...".
"You - barbarous traitor! I and everyone else dedicated our life to you!".
I closed my eyes. No...
Another gasp. And it caused me to open my eyes again to see Amon bloodbend his 'Lieutenant' too.
"You've served me well, Lieutenant".
After that, I heard several chilling sounds of cracked bones. The instant those sounds went through my eardrums, travelling to my brain, my heart entirely went cold. My world, my whole world, once again, went upside-down. Liao Zu was not my father, but he was friend to my uncle; therefore, he was my friend. He was my sister's friend. Then, the sound of Liao Zu's body crashing against a bunch of wooden planks awoke something inside me. A raging beast. I fought to fiddle with my gloves, my face muscles twitched in outrage. Next, I saw Amon walk towards me, bloodbending me kneeling upright.
"I'm sorry, Furroh, but you know that this is nothing personal", the monster spoke.
I grunted in pain, slowly looking up at him, and said:"But I'm not. For... Doing... This!".
With that, I shot two blasts of electric balls at him, propelling him against the far, opposite wall. Ignoring the pain, I stood up and blindly fired volley after volley of electric blasts, shouting obscenities at the deceiver, forwards to the spot he fell down to once he'd collided with the wall, making planks and long tables to collapse onto him. When I calmed down a little, I looked a bit to the right, seeing Korra slightly get up on her knees again. Not hesitating, I approached her and got her on my back, hurriedly carrying her out of the storage room, feeling her crystal necklace-
The necklace! Azara said that the crystal "functions like a talisman", and that it'll come to her help in her "darkest moment". Losing her bending is totally her darkest moment! Then... why didn't it help her? Why nothing happened at all? Did Azara make a mistake, or did she have an ulterior motive for this? Damn you, Azara. And damn you, Sojana, for making Azara go away to face you! If she was here... If only she was here.
- pressing against my back, also the eight-pointed star as well, and the other... things. While I was running along a hallway, I heard Korra mutter:
"Furroh, my bending...".
"Everything'll be all right. We just need to get out of here!", I reassured her.
And then, I couldn't move, letting Korra fall down on the floor, rolling away. The son of a bitch, how did he- I was instantly slammed against the ceiling, then the floor. Next, the despicable fuckin' bastard 'prompted' me to stand up, and bloodbent me against a wall on my left, and then my right, me dropping down like a fell tree.
"I'm impressed", he spoke, "No one has ever gotten the better of me like that. You are truly your uncle's nephew, aren't you?".
Shortly later, he forced me to kneel upright just like he'd done before, my head was slowly being twisted.
"It is almost a shame to take away a life from someone so tenacious. Almost". I heard his voice from behind me.
It- it cannot end... like this. Mom, Dad. Sis. I've failed you so many times before; now I fail you again. I'm sorry.
Before my life was ended, I tried to looke at Saudorn's girlfriend. "Korra, I'm... so sorry. Tell Simel I love her".
The Avatar was filled with horror. Fleetly, she stood up, shouting "NO!", attempting to bend. At that second, the necklace inside her Equalist uniform shone brightly, a green-and-blue halo piercing through the fabric of the costume, almost blinding me. Then... I and Amon were knocked away by... air? She can... she can airbend?
"I-I can airbend?". Korra was surprised at the turn of the event. "I can airbend!", she shouted joyously.
Right away, she blasted gust after gust of air towards Amon, blowing him further and further forwards to a window at the end of the hall! Without indecision, Amon tried to bloodbend Korra again. I speedily stood up to attempt to help her, yet my legs gave way because of me being assaulted by Amon's bloodbending earlier. Nonetheless, the young Avatar somehow resisted and gave him one final blow, saying "No... you... don't!" out loud, hurling him straight through the window! Yeah! Serve you right, motherfucker!
...
Republic City, outside the Arena, that same moment.
Amon's p.o.v.
How is it possible? I equalized her! I know I equalized her! Her bending was... gone. How could she possibly airbend at me?
The slightly cold water pulled me away from my thoughts, pushing me back to reality. A cruel reality. No. The mask- the paint! The paint! Panickedly, I subconsciously bent myself out of the water, using a water spout. After coughing for a little while, I realized that the gravity of my defeat began to sink in. The people were shocked upon seeing me... as a waterbender.
"He's waterbending?".
"He is a bender!".
"The scar's fake".
"The Avatar was telling the truth!".
Upon hearing the word "Avatar", I turned my head towards where I was catapulted out of, and I saw her standing there, intensely looking at me. After glaring angrily at her, I had no choice but to escape, plunging myself deep into the water and waterbent away. However, I stopped bending when I saw a dark, gigantic shape ahead. What in Spirits' name is that? Before I could hightail out of there, like lightning, tendrils darted at me, wrapping around me tightly. After that, I was lifted upwards towards the water surface, moving past that, higher and higher in the air. When my vision was clear, I saw that I was captured by a brownish, humongous, horrid-shaped monstrosity. But what was more terrifying was the the fact that Agrigula was standing on top of the creature's supposed head ( it looked like it had no head ). Deliberately, the tendrils guided me towards him.
"You've failed, Amon. You have failed miserably and pathetically. How sad. I guess it's up to me to bring down the Avatar and this whole city along with her, now that her boyfriend is DEAD", the Lord-Patriarch of the Legion of War addressed me.
"He's... dead?" was all I could utter.
"Killed by my own sword, my friend". He laughed. "It turned out that I didn't need you after all. However, because you've been cooperating so nicely with me, I think you deserve to see my true form and witness my ascent to absolute sovereignty". Following that, he called out to the citizens of Republic City:"Humans, it's time for you to open your eyes and perceive the force that is going to rule this pathetic and weak plane of a reality! No more lies! No more charade! Behold! The flesh! And the power! It holds!".
And there was music, at full blast, played on my Equalist airships a short distance away from the huge monster. At that same moment, Agrigula's form started changing, getting bigger and bigger, beginning to fuse with his 'pet', its tendrils slowly getting absorbed into the extremely mountainous and monstrous mass of flesh and tissues, me heading to my own doom, screaming out loud in mad horror and terror.
I told you once!
But I'll say it again!
When you live the flesh!
It's the beginning of the end!
It will take you in!
And it - will spit you out!
Behold - the flesh!
And the po-wer it holds!
Passion is a poison laced with pleasure bitter sweet!
One of many faces that - hide deep beneath!
It will take you in!
And it - will spit you out!
Behold - the flesh!
And the po-wer it - holds!
Touch!
Taste!
Breathe!
Consumed!
Deja-vu!
Already knew
from the first encounter!
But now I know
to let go
of words to speak no more!
Like a wind
upon your face!
You can't see it but you know it's there!
When beauty shows
its ugly face.
Just be prepared!
Passion burns
like fire carried by the wind!
The end of a time!
A time to begin!
It will take you in!
And it - will spit you out!
Behold - the flesh!
And the po-wer it holds!
It builds you up
one way and tears you right back down!
A time to begin!
The end of a time!
It will take you in!
And it - will spit you out!
Behold - the flesh!
And the po-wer it - holds!
Touch!
Taste!
Breathe!
Consumed!
Deja-vu!
Already knew
from the first encounter!
But now I know
to let go
of words to speak no more!
Like a wind
upon your face!
You can't see it but you know it's there!
When beauty shows
its ugly face.
Just be prepared!
Note 2: Just wanna fix errors.