Chapter 14
President Raiko let out a deep and long weary filled sigh. He cannot help but to bury his face into his hands, accepting the fate that was bestowed upon him. To the eyes of the public, the president always seemed to be calm and collected, knowing what to say or do at the perfect moment to help his fledgling nation. But at this moment, behind closed guarded doors on Air Temple Island with the threat of the Earth Empire closing in, he sat behind his desk exhausted and uncharacteristically annoyed with only one thought that kept running through his mind.
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
"Sir?"
The President of the United Republic Nations breathed in through his nose. He wondered how the world would remember him after this whole ordeal was finished. He was the one who had nominated Kuvira in charge of quelling the riots in the Earth Kingdom, granting her his seal of approval. He was the one who had started these unfortunate events. All because he believed his time was too precious for citizens of another nation. If only he had used the United Forces liked his general suggested, maybe this would all have been prevented.
They say, history was written by the victor. If the saying was true, Raiko hoped the Earth Empire would paint a kind picture of him and his short presidency in the history books. Raiko knew he had slim to no chance of winning, but he still had to try. He loved his people and the home he had the pleasure of leading, and he would be damned to give it up without a fight.
Raiko exhaled the air he was holding through his thin lips. This whole ordeal was actually making him feel his old age. He removed his hands off his face, staring at Lin Beifong, chief of the police force in Republic City and his bodyguard for the battle to come.
"Yes, Chief Beifong?"
"General Iroh reported his men are in position for intercepting Baatar's troops and our ships are set up in a defensive line along our shores." She reported.
"Good," he said with a nod, "any word from Mako and his team?"
Mako, Bolin, and Opal volunteered to see if they could destroy the spirit cannon that Baatar has constructed. What a dastardly weapon the mad engineer created. At least they were somewhat prepared from Varrick and Bolin's warning a week prior to Baatar's declaration of war. As they speak, Varrick, Asami, and the recently pardoned Hiroshi Sato, were trying to create new mecha suits that may help against the twenty-six story behemoth of a weapon. Unfortunately, Raiko knew that would not be enough. They needed a miracle. They needed Avatar Korra.
"No sir."
"I see." He smiled at her. As a politician he has practiced his smile a million of times. He could make a fake smile seem more genuine than a child receiving a present on their birthday. "I'm sure our troops will send Baatar's army running for hills."
Lin smiled back, cocky about the battle. His fake smile and imitation of bravado must have work. "Damn straight, sir."
Raiko glanced to the side of his desk. A framed picture of him and his wife, Poppy on their wedding day stood there as a reminder of what he was protecting. Their smiles were so wide and their eyes twinkle in happiness for their future together.
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
Su was guarding Prince Wu in an underground bunker. It was originally designed to smuggle people and equipment for the Equalist movement that threatened the city a couple of years ago. Said prince was huddling in a corner crying for his mother.
The former-matriarch cannot help but roll her eyes at the pathetic display. Su was supposed to kneel and swear her allegiance to that? No wonder monarchies were dying if they had that as an example.
She wondered how she pulled the short straw for this one. Su sighed; she knew why but did not want to think about it. She doesn't want to admit to the ugly truth that haunted her mind. Sadly it was the only thought going through her head right now.
Baatar, her oldest and brightest son, was their enemy.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this." She muttered.
In all honesty, she should have seen her son following after Kuvira coming a mile away. Baatar had always followed around the girl like a baby pup while growing up. He was the first of her children to view her as family, immediately accepting her at first glance. She had her suspicions about his quick acceptance. The boy was seen blushing whenever she was around, sometimes running away from the poor girl when she was too close to him.
Su had just chalked it up as he was nervous or shy towards the opposite sex. Her mother told her she acted the same way when she was at that age. It was not until they were teenagers that her suspicions were proven warranted.
He loved Kuvira.
It was not puppy love like her twin boys usually fall victim to. Instead it was the love that she and her husband shared for one another. The kind of love that one would do anything for the other. Unfortunately, sometimes that kind of love can do more harm than good.
A lone tear ran down her cheek. When she finally saw her son after almost three years of foolishly exiling him, she barely recognized the man. He was uncaring of his villainous deeds, boasted about the success he and Kuvira have done since their departure, and even went as far as threatening to kill innocents if she did not surrender Zaofu.
All of this happened because she let her emotions take control and exile her two children for betraying her trust. She should have properly explained why she took the stand she did, or at the very least listened to them. Surely they could have come to an understanding if they had talked. They could still be a family.
So many regrets. Su reached inside her jade green tunic to take out a photograph. It was a picture of her family. It was a bit old, being taken about a year into Kuvira's time in the guard and has the wear and tear that came with age.
Her husband and she were sitting in the middle while all her loving children surrounded them closely with the exception of Kuvira. Said metalbender was a bit far off at Su's right, proudly donning the uniform of a guardsman of Zaofu she worked hard for. She never noticed her odd behavior until now. While all her children seemed to be happy at being together, her oldest daughter looked awkward and uncomfortable to be at their side.
Maybe it truly started back then. When Su noticed Kuvira's prowess towards metalbending, she pushed the young woman to her limits. She became less of a mother and more of a mentor of sorts. She had wanted her daughter to take over her title as matriarch of Zaofu. Kuvira has the smarts, the skills, and an excellent silver tongue to be the leader of the metal clan. She would have been a perfect successor.
So she kept pushing and pushing, treating her more of a close associate than that of a daughter whom she adopted off the streets. Su even went as far and told her to not call her mother anymore due to their new professional relationship when Kuvira became captain of the guard.
She just wanted her to fulfill her potential. She had promised her daughter that she was meant for greatness and she wanted to do everything to make her accomplish it. Instead she pushed her away and now her oldest son was here to take over a nation in her name.
Su covered her eyes as she silently sobbed. "It wasn't supposed to be like this."
Tenzin kissed Pema on the lips, making sure to remember her soft touch. They whispered their goodbyes before he faced his children. He knelt down on one knee, spreading his arms wide and they all ran into him to receive a hug.
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
Tenzin tightened his hold on his children, savoring every last second he has with them. One may not think so from how he carried himself, but the airbender has many regrets in his life. How he ended things with Lin, wishing he was more forceful with Tarrlok about the Equalist, and making the decision to stop playing the drums, just to name a few. But letting Baatar go this far was by far the biggest regret he has in life.
He gave each one of them a kiss on their forehead before releasing his children from his fatherly embrace. The father watched with teary eyes as they got on his flying bison, Oogi. His oldest and brightest daughter, Jinora took the reins. They all spared a final look back at him.
"I love you all so very much." He simply said.
When Kuvira disappeared, Tenzin personally helped Baatar search for her. He had felt responsible since he was the one who voted to have her lead the effort in the Earth Kingdom. After a while, Baatar called off the search due to multiple uprisings from the many cities that were in the Earth Kingdom and from ambitious soldiers within his army. The airbender was the one to motivate Baatar to continue Kuvira's work, stating that it was what she would've wanted of him. Why else did she make him her second if she did not have trust in the man to lead her army?
The heartbroken man listened to Tenzin's advice and now the airbender was going to help defend his father's crowning achievement against the now warmongering man.
"Go." Tenzin ordered, his voice wavering with his conflicting emotions.
Jinora nodded in affirmation. She turned forward and whipped the reins, saying, "yip yip."
Tenzin watched as his family flew away on his sky bison. They should have no issues reaching the South Pole, being far from the conflict and held the advantage of being high in the sky. Hopefully he would see them after this battle was over. He closed his eyes, causing a single tear to fall.
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
Baatar cannot help but grinned as he rode by the giant hole in the mountain his devastating weapon created. His sister and her friends tried and failed miserably in sabotaging his mighty construction of weaponry. They had narrowly missed the beam he had fired and escaped from his clutches. By now, they should be getting to President Raiko and informing him how unmatched he truly was.
Just as he planned.
They were foolish enough in the first place in trying to stop his greatest invention, the Colossus. Those traitors, Varrick, Bolin, and Zhu Li must have told them what they were up against and still try to oppose him. Truly it was quite sad they did not fully grasp the power he had under his thumb. His weapon converted volatile spirit energy into a destructive force that can level a town into ruins with only a single blast of its beam.
Oh, how he wished he could have shown his father his masterpiece. His expression would have been priceless. After today, people would finally understand how much smarter that he was than the man. That he no longer lived in the shadow of the coward who didn't take risks like him. His father could only dream to have thought of such a revolutionary idea as the spirit cannon.
How he wished Kuvira was here to see the fruit of their labor. To have her stand by his side as they watch their dreams become reality.
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
Baatar pushed his glasses up so he could rub his eyes. He should have noticed the signs early. If he had, Kuvira would be the one in the chair commanding the greatest achievement of mankind like she rightfully deserved. Instead, he ignored the obvious cries of help because he thought Kuvira was too strong to crumble.
He squeezed his eyes shut from the pain emitting from his chest. He tried to help her! No one can say he did not.
Baatar tried convincing his best friend to give him more of the responsibility of their army so that she could breathe and relax. But she kept pushing back and argued that she can handle it, that she needed to prove his mother wrong. To prove to everyone she can do the impossible.
He saw the wear and tear their journey of unification was doing to her. It was making her ruthless, cold, and depressed. She had spent so many sleepless nights just so the people of her nation can know peace. To know they were not abandoned. His various acts of kindness and love were ignored and now she was gone or worse….
Baatar got up from his leather chair. He knew she was still out there watching him; watching his glorious work for their nation. He walked to the sole window gazing out at the beautiful landscape from within his gigantic weapon. He smiled at the sight of Republic City on the horizon.
It wasn't supposed to be like this, but Baatar doesn't mind the end result. For at the end of the day, he knew he would make Kuvira proud with his accomplishments.
"Today, we will make our Great Uniter proud." He declared to the occupants of the control room. They turned to see their leader's form, standing proudly as he gazed upon the future. "Today, we will create history by showing the world that the Earth Empire has the might to not only protect itself, but to also take on anyone who may wish ill will towards us." A smile tugged on his lips. "Today, we will finally stand united as one!"
His men cheered from his little speech. Baatar momentarily basked in their cheers. The young general did not plan his words or a speech to boost morale for his troops. It all just naturally flew out. Kuvira always said he has a gift in public speaking.
He folded his hands behind his back, standing tall and proud. "I want the armor division to move ahead and start the assault. Have the infantry provide support and swarm the city."
"Yes sir!"
His men started relaying his commands to the officers down below. They say, history was written by the victor. When he achieve victory today, he promised himself that he will dedicate his conquests to his love, Kuvira. Perhaps then she would finally come out of the shadows and back to him.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoy the somber start of the third act. Things will only get more intense as we heads towards the battle for the capital. I enjoyed writing Raiko scene. I feel like he doesn't get enough credit. True, he was a piece of shit in the third season as well as in the Turf War comics, but I believe he needs some slack. Bruh had to deal with a lot of world changing events in short time span, as well as being the first president ever.
Also, side note, I started planning my next LoK story. I haven't written anything down yet, just jotting some notes to make sure I get the plot right. It will be The Politician story(If you have a better name for it, please PM me. I'm terrible with titles and summaries).
The next update is November 7th.
Till Next Time