Korra, Kuvira, and Suyin arrived at the police station shortly after dawn the next morning. All three had been up since before first light, going on as little sleep as possible required to function. Both Korra and Kuvira had been awake well into the night training and perfecting their respective forms from the spirit scroll. While they were still a little rough at it, they had a good enough grasp to make it work. At least, they hoped. Suyin, meanwhile, had been coordinating with the city's defenses to determine how best to assist, a task that had seen her awake past midnight making preparations.

This morning, they would be continuing those preparations. Mako stood outside the entrance of the station, already there to greet them as Naga ran up the steps with the three women atop her back. When the polar bear dog came to a stop, the trio hopped down to greet the police chief.

"Hey, Mako, how are our defenses coming?" Korra took a step to follow inside the building, but Naga stopped her with a gentle nudge. With a quick sigh, she turned around and pulled a strip of meat out of her pocket. "Okay, okay, here's your treat. No more until after lunch, got it?" Naga chomped down the snack and then sat down outside the door to wait for them. Korra smiled, and rubbed the polar bear dog's snout. "Good girl."

Mako waited patiently for the two to finish, and led the way inside. "To answer your question, things are going about as well as they can be. We've been trying to evacuate civilians a little at a time, but with both Republic City and Zaofu here it hasn't been easy. At the very least, we're used to evacuations by now."

"Which I still don't understand." The comment came from a tall figure leaning against the wall inside the entrance. P'Li looked towards them, arms folded across her chest. "Why don't you just evacuate them all at—" She paused suddenly, when she caught sight of Suyin. The former matriarch glared back at her, and for a brief moment the air lingered with deathly silence. Eventually, P'Li slowly turned her attention back to Mako, to finish, "—all at once?"

Mako shifted a confused look towards Suyin, who had not looked away from P'Li. Rather, she maintained a suspicious glare aimed at the former Red Lotus member. With a clear of his throat, he looked back to P'Li and said, "Uh... well..."

"Because Sen is targeting high population areas," Kuvira said, quickly breaking the tension. "If we move people out of the city a little at a time, he shouldn't bother with any one group that leaves. If we moved everyone at once, he'd just follow them. At least, that's the theory."

P'Li chanced a quick glance back to Su again, meeting the critical gaze with one of her own. The look lasted only a second, before turning to Kuvira. "And if that doesn't work? Sen could attack at any moment. I doubt you'll get the entire city evacuated in time using that method."

"We have a system in place for that." Suyin spoke in a harsh tone, as if the answer were obvious and she was judging P'Li for not knowing. "I've already taken the liberty of organizing together as many earthbenders as possible, even civilians willing to help out. If Sen should attack before we're ready, we've created an enormous underground bunker to take them while we fight him off. By doing that, hopefully we can stop him before he hurts anymore innocent people."

"Uh, right," Mako said, with a slow nod. He looked back and forth at the two women again before taking a small step backwards. "That."

"It's not a perfect plan," Korra said, with a sigh. "Actually it's not really even a very good one, but it's all we have. There isn't enough time to think of something else."

"Well, we'll be ready," Mako said. "Count on it."

"And everyone knows their role?" Korra asked.

Mako motioned for them to follow him farther into the station. Up until now, they had stopped to converse in the lobby, and so he led them through the station into his office. When they were inside, he stepped in front of a map of Republic City hanging on the wall and pointed at it, giving them a visual to follow along with as he spoke.

"Right now, the United Forces are maintaining a perimeter around Republic City, so when Sen shows up we can engage him outside the city limits," he explained. "Bolin, Zuko, Azula, and Katara have already offered to help on the front lines, while Mai, Ty Lee, Sokka, and Suki are helping with evacuations. Jinora, Opal, and the other airbenders will be providing air support and patrolling the immediate area to spot Sen before he gets here. Meanwhile, my police force will be maintaining security inside." Taking a step back from the map, Mako pulled both his hands behind his back and nodded towards the woman that stood a head taller than him. "P'Li will be directly assisting me."

Suyin's eyes flared wide, as if the statement were the most shocking thing she'd ever heard. " She's what?"

"I'm helping," P'Li snapped, in a biting tone. "Got a problem with that? Maybe you'd like to wrap my head in metal again?"

The former matriarch offered the woman a brief glare before turning her attention back to Mako. "You're sure about that?"

Mako looked to P'Li, who crossed her arms and shrugged at him. With a sigh, he pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "Yeah, it's fine. Don't worry about it, really."

"Okay…" Su's attention wandered over to P'Li again, before swiftly returning to Mako. "In any case, Kuvira and I will be joining you, since we're in charge of the earthbender organization. Hari should be here soon, as well as my mother."

Mako nodded. "Alright, that works. Korra, what about you?"

"I'm going to check in on Asami and the others to see how to best utilize their Spirit Conductor, then I'll join the front lines," Korra stated. "I want to be there when Sen gets here. Just make sure everyone who took the time to learn those spirit forms knows to regroup when that happens. We'll all need to hit him together, preferably after weakening him."

Mako moved behind his desk and opened the drawer. He pulled out a hand radio and gave it to Korra. "Here, take this. We'll be able to communicate faster that way."

"Right," she said, taking the radio. "Okay, I'm heading out. Keep me updated."


When Korra was gone, Mako closed the drawer to his desk and made his way for the door. "I just need to take care of a few things, then we can go."

P'Li took a quick step forward. "I'll come with you."

"No need," Mako stated, with a simple wave. "I'll only be a few minutes."

When Mako was gone, the three women in the office remained standing in awkward silence. P'Li tapped her food repeatedly against the floor, with her arms folded and jaw tightening. Every now and then her eyes would linger to her left, only to make contact with Suyin's. Both women would then immediately turn away, so they wouldn't have to look at each other. This happened four times before Kuvira slowly made her way towards the door.

"I think I'll just wait outside," she said, with a clear of her throat. She glanced back and forth between the two, and quickly stepped through the doorway. "You two just… I don't know, talk or something. I guess."

The two remaining women stood in further silence for another moment, continuing their game of side-eyeing each other two more times before Suyin huffed out a sigh and broke the tension with a careful glare. "Well?"

P'Li glared in return. "Well, what?"

"It's obvious you have something to say, so say it."

A grumble followed, and P'Li looked away. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Oh no? You seemed to have no problem just a few minutes ago."

"And what exactly am I supposed to say?" P'Li snapped her gaze back and locked eyes with Suyin, boiling the air between them in tangible ire. "You killed me."

"Only because you were trying to kill my sister."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Su frowned. "If you're looking for an apology, you won't get one. You were a terror and you hurt innocent people. We were fighting a war with you. If I hadn't killed you, you'd have killed Lin. So you can take your hurt feelings and shove them."

P'Li coughed out a disbelieving chortle. "You think I'm upset because you hurt my feelings? I was dead! That goes a little beyond 'hurt feelings'."

"Yeah, well you got what you deserved."

"Maybe, but guess what? I'm back now, and we're on the same side, so get used to it." P'Li took a step closer and leaned forward, lowering herself in such a way that she could stare at the other woman at eye-level and yet still impose how much larger she was. "Let's get one thing straight, though. Whether we have to work together or not, we are never going to be friends."

"Oh my, how devastating," Su replied, with a roll of her eyes. "How ever will I survive?"

"Are you trying to piss me off, or is that just something you do naturally to everyone?"

"You just make it so easy."

With an annoyed huff, P'Li took a step away and shook her head. "And people think I'm a terrible person."

Silence followed, a brief moment where Suyin looked out the window with a distance in her gaze. Her response came in a near whisper, almost as if she didn't mean for the other woman to actually hear her. "Well, maybe you aren't the only one who got what she deserved."

But P'Li did hear her, and narrowed a curious glare. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You mean you haven't wondered why I look so much younger since we fought back then?"

"I have no idea, because you dyed your hair?" P'Li said, with an unknowing shrug. "How would I know?"

"It's because I'm just like you. I was dead, and Sen brought me back."

P'Li's brow lifted. "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously." Suyin sighed, folding her arms as she continued staring out the window. "Looking back on it, I suppose it was fitting. I made a lot of pretty terrible decisions in my life, and it all finally caught up to me."

"Well, if you're looking for sympathy, you're not going to get it."

"Then it's a good thing I didn't ask for it."

Another long pause. P'Li focused on the door, hoping Mako would walk in any moment to end the awkwardness. When that didn't happen, she tilted her head back and sighed. "So how did it happen?"

Another pause, and Suyin answered, "I was murdered."

"Fine, I'll bite. By who?"

Su breathed in deep and turned away from the window to look straight at P'Li. Her eyes shifted, as if trying to decide whether or not she should answer. Eventually, she uttered a deep breath and said, "Zaheer."

P'Li tried to keep a straight face, but the revelation caused a laugh to explode from her throat. Even as she held a hand to her mouth to stifle herself, the laughter deepened with an amused grin spreading across her face.

"I suppose that would be funny to someone like you," Su muttered, with a heated glare.

"It's just so ironic. And people say karma doesn't exist." A few moments later, P'Li finally managed to get her laughter under control and quiet herself. Still smirking, she added, "I guess you were right. You did get what you deserved. Maybe we both did."

Su raised an eyebrow. "And now we're both back, trying to make up for our mistakes?"

"Well when you say it like that…" P'Li narrowed her eyes, losing any and all amusement at Suyin comparing them to each other. "Don't say it like that."

Su paced away from the window to sit in the chair behind the desk. Leaning back in her seat, she shot a curious glance towards the other woman. "So when this is over, should we worry about you trying to break out Zaheer again?"

"Hardly. Zaheer and I will never be together again, I've already accepted that. Maybe he could have been released someday if he'd stopped the first time we were beaten, but after everything else he did? Fat chance." P'Li shifted her gaze out the window, aimlessly watching the streets beyond. "I love him, but I'm not going to destroy my second chance at life to keep chasing a fool's dream."

"I'd ask how you could ever love someone like him, but what's the point? You two were a couple of murderous peas in a pod, from what I saw."

P'Li's jaw clenched, as a hot wave of anger ruptured through her cheeks. She made her way in front of the desk and pointed at the former matriarch with a glare that could have melted steel. "You don't know anything about us, or what we went through together, so don't you even think about trying to make assumptions about our relationship!"

Su stared back, her combative expression slowly losing its edge. With a deep exhale, she looked away. "Maybe you're right."

The door opened a moment later, and Mako walked in. He made it halfway to his desk before noticing the two woman across from each other. "Uh, I'm ready. Is everything alright in here?"

"Everything's fine," P'Li said, already on her way out the door. "Let's just go. If it's all the same to you, I think we should travel separately from the other two."

"Fine by me," Su said. "Kuvira and I should wait for Hari and my mother, anyway. We'll meet up with you later."

"Um, alright." Mako gave one last look at Suyin, and turned to follow P'Li out of the office. "Let's go, then."


When Su returned outside, Kuvira was there waiting for her with a curious look. "So, how did that go?"

"About as well as you'd expect," Suyin muttered, with an almost amused sigh.

"So not very good then."

Suyin shrugged, as she followed Kuvira down the front steps of the police station. "Pretty much. I mean, the last time I encountered her, she was trying to blow us up. And I killed her. It'll take some time before I'm willing to be around that woman without looking over my shoulder."

"Fair enough." Kuvira gave an understanding nod, but didn't say anything else about the matter. She didn't have any direct interactions with P'Li like so many others had. She'd been on the other side of the mountain during their assault on the Red Lotus to back up Korra and Tonraq, so she didn't have quite as harsh an opinion towards the woman. Still, she knew the things that P'Li had done, and knew why people would be hesitant in trusting her. "So, Su, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"What is it?" Su said, raising a curious brow.

"Have you thought about what you're going to do when all this is over? If it's over." Kuvira paused at the bottom of the steps and turned to her. "I already said I'd gladly hand Zaofu back over to you if you wanted it."

"Ah, that." Su gave a slow nod and folded her arms across her chest, while pacing a few steps back and forth. "You know, Kuvira, Zaofu isn't some trinket you can pass around to whomever. It's a city, and a nation, with its own structure and prestige."

Kuvira's eyes widened, suddenly flustered. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"What I'm saying is that Zaofu should keep the matriarch it has," Su said, bringing a reassuring hand to the other woman's shoulder. "My time leading is over. It's your turn now, and you've been doing a great job so far. I think it's in good hands."

Kuvira blinked in surprise. "You're sure?"

Suyin smiled. "Of course I'm sure. I didn't raise you to follow in my footsteps for nothing."

"Thank you, Su. I..." Kuvira shook her head, hardly able to get out the proper words. Eventually, she managed a smile of her own. "Thank you."


Getting the Spirit Conductor out of Asami's workshop in Future Industries Tower down to street level had been a trial no one was prepared for. Or at least that the workers Varrick had hired were prepared for. With a system of dollies, carts, and careful maneuvering, they had finally managed to get it out front—in pieces. In order to transport the entire machine, Asami, Varrick, Zhu Li, and Baatar Jr. had been forced to disassemble parts of it. While those pieces had made it out of the main lobby and out onto the street, they needed to be reassembled to perfection while loaded onto the back of a utility truck. That task fell to all but Varrick, who had taken it upon himself to supervise the workers with due diligence.

"Careful with that!" he said, as a pair of workers carrying one of the larger pieces of the machine bumped into the side of the truck. "This is some highly sophisticated technology you're handling there. Easy… Easy…" The workers made it halfway up the ramp before the edge of the machine bumped into the side rail. "I said easy!"

"Perhaps you should calm yourself a little, dear," Zhu li said, glancing up from her work. Flipping around her screwdriver, she carefully began to tighten the fastenings on the bottom panel of the conductor.

"Well, maybe I would be calm if they didn't keep manhandling our newest invention," Varrick countered. With a disbelieving huff, he marched towards the truck and picked up a loose bolt on the ground. "Look at this! They've already knocked a piece loose! This is what's going to give us the edge against Sen, and they're ruining it!"

From the front of the truck, Asami peered around the side of the opened hood. "I can't believe it, but I'm actually inclined to agree with Varrick on this. Be careful with that machine, please. Our lives might depend on it."

The two workers instantly sank, as though the life had been drained out of them with shame. "Yes, Madame President. Sorry." As carefully as possible, they placed the piece down on the back of the track and retreated down the ramp to continue their task.

"Oh sure, you listen to her," Varrick muttered.

Without so much as glancing up from his work, Baatar scoffed. "Gee, I can't imagine why they would ever want to ignore someone as charismatic as yourself."

"I know! It's baffling."

Baatar sighed, and shook his head.

Shortly after the workers returned with the next piece of the Spirit Conductor, a white blur raced around the corner of the street and quickly covered the distance between them—Naga, with Korra astride her back. As soon as the polar bear dog arrived at the truck and came to a stop, Korra jumped down to greet them. "Hey, everyone. How are things coming here?"

"Hey, Korra." Asami closed the hood of the truck and reached for a nearby rag to wipe the oil off her hands. The oil stood out in stark contrast to the proper business attire she wore, and yet no one who knew her would be surprised in the least. Asami Sato was every bit a mechanic and an inventor as she was a CEO and president. "Things are going about as well as we can hope. The Spirit Conductor has a limited range, so in order for it to work against Sen it needs to be near him. We've decided to solve that by making it mobile."

"Zhu Li and I will be on board to run that thing when Sen gets here," Varrick affirmed. "Whenever that is."

"Oh, that's a good idea," Korra stated, with a nod. She briefly glanced towards the front seat of the truck. "And who's driving?"

"I am," Asami said.

Korra blinked at her friend, and looked back at the truck. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Going against Sen like that… it'll be dangerous."

"There isn't a better driver around, you know that," Asami insisted, matter-of-factly. "Especially when it comes to operating a vehicle with a high payload during high pressure and dangerous situations. Besides, this is my city, and I'm damn sure going to protect it."

"And who's going to protect you?"

"That's what I'm here for." A woman in full Zaofu guard armor approached the group, with a team of ten or so Republic City police officers trailing behind her. Sinn gave a smile, as Asami hurried forward to greet her with a kiss. "I may not be an official security officer or anything, but I'm not about to sit this one out."

"Oh, well I guess that answers that," Korra said, with a partial chuckle.

"Don't worry, I'll look after her," Sinn said, holding an arm around the president's waist. "Not that she needs looking after, of course."

Asami smiled, and leaned in for another kiss. "There's still no one else I'd rather have protecting me."

With a huff, Varrick looked over and piped in. "On the other hand, Junior over here is chickening out."

Baatar looked up from his work, eyes narrowed into a glare. "How is wanting to be with my family 'chickening out'?"

"As a scientist and a co-inventor to this technology, you have a responsibility to see the mission through to the end!" Varrick insisted. "Besides, everyone but your father and artiste brother is going to be involved in the big fight, and really those two should try to evacuate as soon as possible. Zhu Li and I had the sitter take Iknik Jr. out of here during the first wave."

"I hardly think you can judge me for not wanting to be here when an almighty dark spirit descends upon us," Baatar fired back. "I'm not a fighter, and two geniuses is more than enough to run the machine."

Varrick merely shrugged. "Sure, sure, think whatever you want. It's your conscience."

"In any case, I'll let you guys get set up," Korra said, as she climbed back onto Naga's saddle. "If you need to contact me, I'm on radio frequency thirteen."

"Roger that, Avatar." Varrick gave a firm salute, and turned back to the others. "Now, let's get this thing loaded already! Move it, people!"


The diner was quiet. Too quiet. Darkened shadows bathed the interior, as the closed window blinds blocked out any light from the streets. For Megumi, those shadows were overpowering and suffocating, as though she'd been sentenced to some dark realm to suffer for all eternity. In reality, she'd come to this closed diner to hide, waiting for the proper moment when she and her partner would strike. Sen had sent them ahead to prepare for the inevitable conflict—a conflict that unsettled her stomach the more she thought of it. How close were they to the end of humanity? How close was she to losing the most important thing to her in the world?

Too close. Far, far too close.

"It's just as Sen predicted." Unalaq stood by the front window of the diner, peering between one of the slits in the blinds. "They're ready for us this time. I'd expect nothing less from my niece. They were smart, evacuating fractions of the city at a time. Sen won't go after small groups, not yet. But it won't matter. Not even half will make it out before he arrives."

Megumi didn't hear most of what he said. She wasn't much paying attention. Rather, she stood watching the young girl in one of the booths across from her. Kanna sat with her arms folded on the table, staring straight down with her head hanging. There was a distant look in her eyes, a look of depression and defeat that shredded Megumi to her core.

How had this happened?

"Kanna," Megumi said, as she carefully approached the booth.

Her daughter didn't even look up at her. "What do you want?"

"Kanna, whatever happens, please stay here." So much was about to happen. So much horror, and pain, and destruction. She couldn't have her daughter mixed up in it. Having her there to witness the fall of Ba Sing Se had been bad enough. "There's nowhere else for you to go, and I—"

"Why would I listen to you?" Kanna muttered, turning her head away. "I hate you."

The words cut into Megumi's chest deeper than any blade ever could. A sharpness struck her heart, and it pushed her back a step. Even as the tears welled into her eyes, she pushed forward until she sat across from Kanna in the booth. When she spoke, her words came out in a soft whisper. "Sweetie, please, I just want you to be safe. Please…"

Kanna glanced at her with a curious stare, unsure how to react to the woman's sudden display of sorrow. Even as much as she disliked Megumi, sympathy came easily to the good-willed heart of a child. With a long sigh, she gave a shrug and said, "Okay, fine. I guess."

"Promise me," Megumi insisted. "Please."

Kanna frowned, hesitant in her response. Eventually, she gave in with a slow, cautious nod. "I promise."

"Thank you…" Her words remained a pale whisper, tightening the knot in her throat into a choking core. Deep down, she knew things wouldn't end well. Not for her, not for Kanna.

Not for anyone.


Azula tapped her fingers impatiently against her arms, as she stared out across the open fields beyond the city limits. She had been here since dawn, waiting with the rest of the United Forces for the imminent attack. Not as though they knew Sen would be attacking today, or even any time this week, but still they needed to be ready. No matter how long they had to wait.

"I wish he'd just get here already," she muttered. "We need to end this now."

To her left, Bolin raised an eyebrow at her. "You... want the killer dark spirit to attack?"

"We're running out of time," she said. "The sooner he gets here, the better. Besides, we're ready for him this time."

"Well, I mean I guess," Bolin said. "That doesn't make this whole thing any better."

From Azula's right, Zuko leaned in. "Try not to worry. It may be difficult, but we can do this. We will do this."

"It's impossible not to worry," Bolin countered. "At least for my son. Opal's dad is looking after him, and they were supposed to be in one of the next waves to evacuate, but what if they don't make it in time? What if Sen attacks while they're still here and—"

"Would you just focus?" Azula cut in, with a grumble of annoyance. "You'll be no use to us if you're all depressed when Sen attacks."

Katara approached from Bolin's other side, and held a hand to his shoulder in attempt to reassure him. "I know how you feel. Sen already got to my children, and if we don't succeed here..." She eased a deep breath and stood straighter, sharpening her gaze. "That's why we're doing this. For our families, and for everyone that spirit has hurt. For humanity. We'll stop him."

Bolin breathed deep and steadied himself. When his nerves calmed, he turned around and made his way toward the radio station behind them. "You know what, you're right. We will. In the meantime, might as well check on Opal and the others, see if they've found anything."


Opal was leaning over the side of her sky bison's saddle when the call came in. A hiss of static crackled out of the radio receiver, followed by her husband's voice. "Hey, Honey, how are things going up there?"

A smile curled across her face, as she reached for the radio. "Hey, Bolin. It's been pretty quiet so far." She stole a quick glance to her left, out to the horizon. From her vantage point this high in the air, she could see all the way to the mountains from here. "No changes yet."

Jinora was the next closest airbender in the sky, riding aboard Pepper, with several other airbenders beyond her, including Daw, Ryu, Otaku, and Yung. For as long as they had been patrolling the United Nations territory, things remained calm and uneventful.

"Are you doing okay?" Bolin asked.

Opal's smile grew, as she raised the radio back to her lips. "I'm fine, but thank you for asking."

"I love you."

Opal paused, her smile fading with lingering concern. Too many thoughts of what they would lose if they failed. "I love you, too. But we should probably get off the radio now. I'll keep you guys updated."

"Yeah, okay. We'll be here."

With a gentle sigh, Opal lowered the radio and turned another gaze towards the horizon. A strange, inky darkness in the sky caught her attention. She narrowed her eyes at the dark blotch, focused on it. The shadowy mass began to swirl and churn, billowing like massive storm clouds. Lightning flashed, and the shadows spread. Further and further across the sky they crawled, turning bright blue into deathly rot, like some kind of disease.

"Jinora!" she called, pointing into the distance. "Do you see that?"

"I see it," Jinora replied, as she guided her sky bison closer.

"What do you think? Could it be Sen?"

With a deep breath, Jinora focused her attention on the darkness. The logical answer should have been obvious, but they had to be sure. "Let's find out."

"Come on, Juicy," Opal said, urging her bison forward. "Yip yip."

While the other airbenders remained behind, Jinora and Opal made their way closer, soaring over the mountains. As the dark clouds spread farther above them, a dense shadow followed, as though the sun had suddenly set and brought the night. Lightning streaked around them, forcing them to fly lower to avoid being struck, but still they continued. Opal kept her eyes strained on the ground below, desperate to find anything that might be Sen approaching. Deep down, her gut churned with acceptance. This was Sen, no doubt about it.

A thunderous boom rang out, and the ground began to shake. Quake after quake rattled the earth below. Even this high in the air, Opal could feel the vibrations, hear the rumbling, see the trees and mountains quivering.

"What on earth is that?" she uttered, panning her gaze wildly around the valley. "Is the storm doing that?"

A shadowed figure skittered around the corner of a mountain, and she had her answer. There it loomed, a vague silhouette against the darkened backdrop of a gradually intensifying storm. Perhaps she was hallucinating. Perhaps this was a mere trick of the storm. Surely, she wasn't seeing what she thought she was seeing. A foolish hope. When a bolt of lightning lit up the valley, they both witnessed the entirety of the figure in all its horror.

"Oh no..." Jinora's brow lifted, and her jaw fell open. For a brief moment she sat frozen atop her bison, before snapping to attention long enough to guide Pepper around back the way they'd come. "We have to get back to the city!"

"Bolin!" Opal shouted over the radio. "Do you read me? Come in! Bolin!"


"Bol... ead me... ome in... here!" Opal's words were broken and garbled over the static, but the panic in her voice was unmistakable. "He's... ive... ready..."

"Opal? Opal what is it?" Bolin tried to adjust the frequency on the radio, to no avail. Nothing but static. "Damn it, there's too much interference!"

"What was she trying to say?" Zuko asked.

"I don't know," Katara said, "but it sounded urgent."

Azula folded her arms and frowned. "If I had to make a guess, I'd say... Wait, do you feel that?" A rumble followed, quaking the ground with steady vibrations. "Is that an earthquake?"

"I don't think so," Bolin said, as he stared down at his feet. "But the ground is definitely shaking. What could be causing...?"

A commotion pulled their attention away, as the United Forces soldiers began shouting and pointing into the distance. Within moments, dark clouds spread above them and bathed the land in a thick darkness. Rain and lightning followed, accompanied by a roaring wind that nearly blew them off their feet. The wind died down shortly after, but the storm remained. The storm, and with it the massive figure that now loomed above them, staring downward with its dark, beady eyes.

"Oh my spirits," Katara uttered.

"This isn't..." Azula stammered, her voice catching in her throat. She took a step backwards, craning her neck to look up. "This can't be possible."

"Well, well," a voice boomed. "The humans are making a stand, it seems. How quaint."

Sen had arrived, but in a way no one could have expected. When they had seen him last, he'd been the size of a small building, no bigger than a house. Large, yes, but nothing out of the ordinary for a spirit. Now, the giant gejigeji stood as tall as any skyscraper in Republic City, at least thirty stories high, with his spindly legs stretching out for what seemed like miles. Even in the darkness of the storm that followed him, he cast a shadow that covered the entire valley all the way to the city beyond.

The soldiers standing below the giant spirit stood in stunned silence. They stared up at their foe, some of them shaking in fear, while others slowly began to step backwards in a vein attempt to put more distance between themselves and the spirit. Through it all, one of the commanders managed to muster a single word. "Attack!"

"Wait!" Zuko called out. "You can't just blindly assault—!"

His protest came too late. The United Forces unleashed a massive barrage of elements upon their colossal foe. Fire, earth, water—all of it ineffective. Their entire volley crashed harmlessly against the spirit's armored carapace. Sen chuckled, his voice booming like dynamite.

"Feeble humans." A flash of spiritual energy erupted from his eyes and swept across the battlefield, scattering and engulfing half the army. With a single breath inward, the essences of all those who met his gaze flew from their bodies into his awaiting maw. "You will all perish."