The landslide left a deep basin leaving Korra, Lobsang and Nergüi judging how to best defend the area. They had mostly archers, a few earthbenders, and waterbenders with them that would also help with line defense if the foe was able to get to them. Korra wasn't liking how far they were from the rest of the line. Looking towards her left, the broken hill sloped down to the next line of their forces, but they weren't in shouting range. The blue banners were on the ground to help with hiding them.

Warlord Hun-Kun's army was visible though. Their earthbenders were working hard to get them to where they wanted to be, and most of their lines weren't at the basin. They stopped, just outside of range for attacks. They watched the enemy build up a camp, and it felt like that was the end of the day for both sides on moving.

Korra was wrong.

The trees overhead continued to splinter, raining down on her warriors. Hun-Kun attacked just after sunset after luring them to a sense of some comfort. His earthbenders were sieging the ridge, letting them have it with boulders, earthen rings and anything else they could throw at the steep hilltop. Korra and Lobsang were doing their best to lessen the damage coming in, but the ground shook like it was going to fall off the face of the planet.

Then it all stopped.

The Avatar took the moment to look around the line as the warriors were slowly regaining themselves to continue. She didn't find anyone that didn't have some sort of wound, including herself as she realized that her knees and hands were scuffed up from catching herself as she ran the line to focus them. Her back plate was dotted with splinters as well.

There was no time to ponder what happened. The cliffs below were starting to rumble as the enemy earthbenders were moving forward. Now it was Korra's turn to shatter their world. Those that could were returning to the line and letting their bowstring sing songs of death upon those below. Nergüi was singing battle songs, laughing at those below as he was throwing what he could find.

"Korra, lovely Woman of Death. How you rain down your weaving upon the foolish foes!" He paused to catch his breath and continue shouting before he stumbled forward. He looked down at himself with shock before falling to his knees. Planted in his back was an arrow.

She felt the sting too as it felt like her side got hit with a hammer. Unlike that of Nergüi, she wasn't hit fatally, but it made her realize that this was the moment of the world correcting the balance of good and evil. It stung, but her thoughts couldn't grasp the pain quite yet. They were being attacked from behind. She elbowed the first to appear before blasting him over the cliffside. Lobsang stood close to the mercenary, trying to fight and protect the man.

For a moment, it felt like time slowed. Both armies clashed, with hers stuck between the cliff and the rear attack. The bending attacks slowed down and anything close by turned into a weapon. She watched as Lobsang fell, cleaved in the back.

One of you will die. The world is unbalanced and you don't belong here.

The spirit's voice didn't scare her. For the past year, this moment was feared, then accepted. Her fate, and her time, was decided and she would spend eternity in a place she didn't belong. Of course, it wasn't what she wanted but wasn't fate like that? The road curved and she either had to stay on course with a recovering move, or accept that this Satomobile was done for, aiming to the cliff. She was at this cliff, spinning one warrior about before breaking his arm. Then came the tearing sound of a blade piercing her side. The opposing warrior yanked the blade out before moving on, and she fell facing west. As the sun set below the horizon, darkness settled in.


Her heart pounded. It was the middle of the night and her legs were running behind the battle lines, only having to stop as her path was blocked by one of the enemy. Kuvira's side of the line stood firm, but she was told to hurry and get to the otherside. Nobu informed her that he was on his way to the area of the portal as this battle was starting to turn in favor of the Warlord.

She tumbled, tripping over a rock that she missed, only to push herself back up to continue running. Her lungs were on fire as she tried breathing, but the metalbender pushed on. Another enemy charged her, forcing her to slide under him and impale him from behind with stone spikes.

"Hold on Korra. I'm coming." Her pace slowed as the ground sloped up. She knew that she needed to move faster. With the ground's help, she pushed herself up through the air, pulling up earth to catch her fall before reaching the basin. The ground started to soften and Kuvira soon realized that she wasn't walking on stone anymore. It was the dead from the fight.

There wasn't anyone there walking or standing, just the piles of bodies as Hun-Kun's main force hit here instead of in the easier ground. Panic filled her as she started yelling.

"Korra!"

Kuvira couldn't tell which one was the Avatar until she started flipping everyone wearing blue, but even in the moonlight she couldn't tell.

"Someone, please," She pleaded, "Point me in the right direction of where she is?"

The splintered trees didn't respond. Neither did the stone weapons, arrows and the dead. As her hope of returning shattered, so did her strength to stand.

"Korra, show me a sign that you aren't dead. Something." Her voice faltered, leaving the hill quiet.

A soft, blue light came from the ground. Kuvira crawled on her hands and knees over the fallen, careful to not stick herself on a fallen blade. As she removed a body, she found the source of the light. The Avatar was showing her where she was, which meant she was alive for now. That's all Kuvira needed before gently freeing her. The metalbender tore off her own armor, making it lighter on her legs before hoisting the injured woman on her shoulders. She soon found that her own back was slowly becoming wet. Kuvria knew what the cause was, but she didn't have the time. It was a slow run in the dark to her next meeting spot.

The glow from the Avatar's eyes disappeared shortly into their hike. Kuvira spoke softly, hoping that Korra was hearing her voice. The metalbender wasn't sure whom it was best for though. There was no response from Korra, but talking out loud was giving her motivation.

"We're almost there, to our time and modern healing. You'll get to have those instant noodles and the radio again. Asami will be there, as well as your friends." Kuvira sighed before the branches around her snapped. She stopped to listen, but with low lighting, she couldn't tell who was here.

"Proclaim yourself." She finally called out.

"Are you green or blue?"

Kuvira wasn't sure at first but she could not go without answering, "Blue."

Arrows started hitting the ground and trees around her, and all she could do was shake the ground enough to give herself space. She felt limited with how she could fight back. Getting Korra to safety was the most important thing. Then her feet tripped from under her. She and Korra both hit the ground hard. The metalbender apologized.

"Sorry Korra. We have to stop to fight back." Kuvira said before fighting back at the few archers chasing her. They were quickly disposed of, but others were now alerted. The former dictator grabbed Korra again, but held her in her own arms. The pace was slower and Kuvira could see the Avatar's head move around with ease.

Up ahead was hope. The location marker was in sight with a single torch. Her heart pounded more as they were so close and she could set Korra down to fight.

One, then a second sharp pain torched her back. Kuvira again dropped the wounded Avatar right in front of the spot by the road. She didn't get a chance to turn and fight as a third arrow stuck her. Kuvira collapsed on top of the Avatar.

The forest then lit up in fire. The archers were no match as Nobu came rushing in, hitting them with all he had left from the battle. Nilaq and Hong showed up soon after to help clear the bit of road and woods

"We're too late." Hong spoke.

He wasn't done. Nobu wasn't going to fail in returning them both. He held his hand up towards the breaking before entering the Avatar State. He was going to get this thing to work alone if he had to. He just needed more energy.

A small relief came. Korra grunted in pain, lifting her hand just enough to use the rest of her energy. The break lit up, flashing in a blinding light and then was over.

"You did it." Hong said, starstruck as his eyes refocused.

"Not all was lost in this fight, Avatar Nobu. This was a small victory and we will defeat Hun-Kun. His army suffered losses here, this night." Nilaq continued, leaning on the earthbender for support. He had received a wound of his own in the forest.

"I only hope there is enough time for them." Nobu whispered, falling to his knees to rest, "I hope we didn't wait too long to get them home."

The three men bowed their heads, leaving the forest silent except for the sound of the burning torch.


All emergency services in the city stopped. In a spot of all of the spirit vines, a bright light shot up into the clouds. The rain continued to pour down, twisting the light with each drop. Air Temple Island also lit up with candles as the older Airbending Master walked out.

"What on earth?" Tenzin asked himself. It was a strange occurrence as he quickly prepared to leave and head over there.

Chief Bei Fong was on scene before he was. Ambulances were preparing for the stretchers as he recognized the faces on them.

"I don't know what happened," the Chief started, "But they both were found at the bottom of this new... thing. I don't know if either will make it though."

Tenzin bowed his head, "Then we will have to wait and see."