Azula grumbled, as she crawled her way out from beneath a partial layer of dirt and rocks. Sen's blast had carved a deep gouge into the earth, scattering earth in all directions and nearly burying her. With a quick look around, she spotted bodies lying on the ground with eyes open wide, blank expressions plastered across their faces. Others probably hadn't been so fortunate, most assuredly taking direct hits from the spirit beam. Doubtful there were even any bodies left for them. Shoving the thoughts from her mind, she tore her gaze away and focused on the commotion at the center of the battlefield.

Sen towered above the United Forces, shrugging off their desperate barrage with cynical laughter and countering spirit blasts from his soulless eyes. The air force's biplanes had already arrived to drop a volley of bombs upon the creature, for all the good it did. Explosions ripped across the insect's backside to little effect, barely more than a tickle to the monstrous creature. Sen turned his sights to them and fired his beams in a sweeping line, catching nearly half the fleet in a single pass. Planes spiraled out of control, erupting in brilliant fireballs streaking against the sky. Several pilots managed to eject and descend with parachutes, but they were no safer when they landed than they were in the air. Within seconds, Sen drained their essences, along with anyone else he focused on.

With a groan of frustration, Azula switched her focus to the immediate vicinity around her. When she noticed Zuko lying nearby and unmoving, she raced to him and dropped to his side, furiously attempting to shake him awake. "Zuzu, get up! Don't you quit on me now!"

Zuko stirred with a quiet groan, rolling over onto his side. "Don't worry, I'm not out just yet." He briefly winced and sat upright, pressing a hand close against his head. "Where are Bolin and Katara?"

"We're right here!" called a voice, cutting through the mayhem. Several moments later, a large slab of earth quivered and flipped over, revealing Bolin and Katara beneath.

As soon as she was free, Katara took several steps forward and watched the scene of battle before her. Her eyes flared wide, mouth falling partially agape. "How on earth did he get so massive?"

"It must be all the essences he's stolen, increasing his power," Zuko said. "Ba Sing Se probably put him over the edge. That was hundreds of millions of more souls for him to absorb."

"Well, we can't just stand around doing nothing," Azula stated. "He's here, and we fight. Just try to stay behind him."

Bolin raised a confused eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"Because he has to see you in order to steal your essence," she replied. "Before now, you needed to actually meet his gaze as well. I don't know if that still holds true, but better safe than sorry. He's stealing essences hundreds at a time, and we can't afford to get caught."

Finding the resolve to attack Sen was one thing. Actually getting that opportunity was another entirely. Before they could take a tactical approach towards their target on the battlefield, another sweeping blast of spirit energy cut across the ground, spewing up a wave of earth and rocks. Bolin reacted with a swift shift in stance, lifting up a tilted shield of stone overhead to block the raining debris. They each ducked for cover, waiting until the air was clear to reemerge.

As they huddled under cover, a voice called out to them. "Azula! Katara!"

Korra emerged from behind them across the battlefield, riding atop a sprinting Naga. Within moments the two closed the gap, prompting a small scoff from Azula. "Oh, Avatar, good of you to arrive. You can help us attack."

"Hold on," Korra urged, still seated atop the polar bear dog. "Those of us who learned the spirit forms need to start regrouping together for a counter attack."

"Korra, look at him," Azula said, pointing behind her at the monolithic spirit. A second wave of biplanes arrived to attempt a bombardment, only for Sen to once again blast them out of the sky. "If you thought we needed to weaken him before in order to subdue him, then that holds infinitely true now. We have to attack!"

"That's exactly why we can't attack him," Korra countered. "Believe me, I want to, but the situation is far more dire than we thought. There are only so many of us who know those forms. We can't afford to have our essences taken before we get a chance at him." The former Avatar's attention flicked forward to watch as Sen drained the essences from another entire platoon of soldiers. "The United Forces will hold back Sen from the city for as long as possible, but civilians are still being evacuated to the underground bunker. Right now, the plan is to regroup with the others, help get the citizens to safety, and make sure we get Asami's Spirit Conductor as close to Sen as possible. That is going to be key in weakening Sen enough for us to try and subdue him."

Azula frowned in exasperation. "Are you being serious?"

"Yes, I am. As much as I want to smack that stupid look off Sen's face right now, we need to be smart about this."

Zuko let out a deep sigh and took a small step forward, reassuring his sister with a gentle touch to her arm. "She's right, Azula. We won't win this with brute force. We have to adapt."

With a roll of her eyes, Azula shook her arm away from her brother's touch. "Very well."

As the others stepped forward to follow Korra back to the city, Bolin turned around and glanced over his shoulder at the battle. "You guys go on ahead. I'm going to stay and help hold off Sen."

Korra's brow lifted in surprise. "But Bolin—"

"But nothing, Korra." He turned around to face her, a stern look creasing across his face. "I know how important it is for all of us who learned the forms to regroup, but it's just as important to delay Sen long enough for people to get to safety and to get our plan ready. I'm the only lavabender we have, and I know I can be of use here. Plus, you have plenty of other earthbenders who know how to do it. This is my call, and I'm staying."

Bolin was right in that regard. They had plenty of earthbenders who had learned their specific spirit form. Of all the elements, earth was their most numerous. Aside from Bolin, they had Toph, Suyin, Kuvira, and Hari who had learned the spirit form. Fire was their next numerous element, with Azula, Mako, P'Li, and Zuko. Water and Air was where they suffered in numbers, with only Korra, Katara, Jinora, and Opal between the two elements who had been able to learn the forms in time.

Seeing that Bolin wasn't going to change his mind, Korra relented with a deep sigh. No sense in wasting time trying to force him. "Alright, just be safe. Please."

"I will," he said, with a firm nod. Turning back towards the battle, he propelled himself forward across the ground on a free-floating slab of earth. "Now get out of here already!"

When Bolin was in range, he leaped forward and planted his feet flat against the ground. With several quick, forceful motions, he churned the earth beneath Sen and spread a pool of lava in both directions. He had grown both in power and skill with his lavabending over the years. Where once he struggled to create a small pool of lava, he now engulfed nearly the entirety of Sen's legs on one side. The river sank deep, causing Sen to stumble with a sudden loss of balance. With a howl of frustration, the dark spirit swiveled his gaze to discover what had happened. Bolin was already gone, racing around the giant spirit to the same to Sen's other side.

The eruption of lava distracted Sen's attention away from the sky, where figures began descending from the clouds—airbenders, gliding along on their wingsuits. They floated within range and worked together to deliver combined air blasts to the joints of Sen's legs. In tandem with the loose footing caused by Bolin's lava, Sen's spindly legs buckled and dropped him to his chitinous stomach. The success was brief, but nonetheless provided a spur of hope to the human defenders. Sen was not invincible. He could be stymied, he could be flustered, he could be hurt. If they worked hard enough, perhaps he could be beaten.

As the others climbed atop Naga to join her on the saddle, Korra raised her radio to her lips. "Jinora, can you hear me? We're regrouping back in the city with the others. You and Opal meet us there!"

Even all the way in the clouds, even through the rain and the wind, Korra's message crackled through the radio receiver Jinora had strapped to her wingsuit. As she circled around behind Sen, she glided a ways upward and clicked the button on the side. "I read you, Korra. On our way." She quickly let go of the button and spread her arm out again to regain control of her flight. Adjusting her path, she darted towards another nearby airbender. "Opal, we have to move! We're meeting Korra and the others back at the city!"

"What?" Opal circled around next to Jinora and glanced downward, noting the massive pool of lava below them. As far away from the ground as she was, she still visibly grimaced at the massive wave of heat emanating upward. "But Bolin is still down there! I'm not leaving him!"

"I know, but we're the only two airbenders who learned the spirit form! Sen is a lot more powerful than we thought. We can't risk staying behind."

"But Jinora, I—"

"Opal, please!" Jinora's insistence was harsher than she meant it to be, harsher than she usually ever was, but the situation called for it. "Everyone has their part to play in this. We need to make sure we do ours."

Opal bowed her head, focusing for a fleeting moment on her husband so far down below them. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and turned away. After taking the moment to calm herself, she gave a relenting nod. "Alright."

"Daw, Ryu, you two are in charge!" Jinora called, as she led Opal back towards Republic City. The other two airbenders returned a thumbs-up in affirmation, on their way by to attack another set of Sen's legs. "Show that dark spirit what the Air Nation is made of!"

Controlled panic. That was the best way to describe the scene within Republic City. Citizens flooded the streets, some pushing and shoving to get ahead, others with their eyes turned upward, captivated by the supernatural storm that ravaged the skies above. A deep fear spurred them onward, but this wasn't anything they weren't used to. After the Earth Empire, the Red Lotus assassination of President Raiko, and Yula's attack, the citizens of Republic City could face anything. In spite of the ongoing pandemonium, they followed the guide of designated police officers towards the various entrances of the underground bunker. Followed to safety. Not that guiding such a massive wave of people was easy, but at the very least it was controlled.

"Please remain calm!" Mako's voice echoed from the speakers atop his police vehicle, connected to the megaphone he raised to his lips. "We'll get you all to the nearest bunker entrance as soon as possible, don't worry!"

Nearby, P'Li assisted in the evacuation efforts along with Suyin, Wing, Wei, and Toph. They had each spread out amongst the crowd in attempts to keep the peace and make sure no one panicked beyond reason.

"Right this way, people!" Wing called, ushering a line of citizens down the street.

"Just remain in an orderly line!" Wei added.

The citizens, in spite of their murmuring, and frantic looks up to the sky, followed orders quickly and efficiently. Better than expected, even. If things continued like this, they might get everyone to safety in time. If only they were that lucky. A far off explosion lit up the darkened sky, followed by the distinct hum spiritual energy. The crackling beam swept across the city skyline, clipping a pair of buildings and rupturing them to pieces. Fire erupted out of windows, as debris plummeted down to the streets below.

Mako lowered the megaphone and ran a few steps forward, only to stop himself with sudden realization. He was a firebender, helpless to do anything against the falling rubble. He could only watch, and hope his metalbending officers intercepted the crumbling building before innocent people below were hurt, or worse.

Panicked shouts drew his attention away. The crowd of citizens in front of him, who had thus far been following orders without trouble, rapidly devolved into a frightened mess of screaming and running. He shouted a few desperate commands into his speaker phone to settle them down, but no one listened. If not for the earthbenders erecting walls to keep the crowd from running off, the disruption might have been far more dire.

After Mako made several more futile commands to the crowd, Toph huffed out an annoyed sigh and marched over to him. Without a word, she snatched the megaphone from his hand and propelled herself upwards on a tall pillar of earth so everyone could see her.

"Listen up and listen good, maggots!" Toph called, her voice booming over the storm and sounds of battle. "In case you haven't been listening, you're supposed to remain calm! Unless you dunces all want to fall victim to a crazy dark spirit, you'll shut up and stay moving in a nice orderly fashion! Got it?"

Stunned silence greeted the greatest earthbender in the world. No one screamed, no one ran, no one panicked. Fear remained, and yet the chaos subsided, giving way to quiet anxiety. Wordlessly, they all fell back into line and continued moving in time with the officers' orders.

As Toph's pillar shrank back into the earth, Suyin gave her mother a concerned look. "I don't think you needed to be quite that harsh, Mom."

Toph merely shrugged, blank eyes staring straight forward. "Whatever, they got the point."

The roaring engine of a satomobile grabbed their attention, as a transport truck turned the corner of the street and pulled up behind them. When the truck came to a stop, the door flung open and Kuvira jumped out.

"Su, how are things coming on your block?" she asked, hurrying towards the group.

"We have things under control," Suyin said, with a steady furrow of her brow. "What are you doing here? You should be helping Hari over in Dragon Flats."

"Hari has everything under control there," Kuvira stated. "I'm heading back to Asami's mansion right now to get Shayu. She's by herself over there. Just wanted to make sure everything is good here first."

Suyin's apprehension over Kuvira's sudden arrival faded with the explanation, and she gave a quick nod. "We're fine here. You get Shayu, and meet us back here. Just be quick. And be safe."

"I will." Kuvira returned a firm nod of her own, and hurried back into the truck. Seconds later she was gone, heading back down the street.

Shortly after Kuvira left, Toph turned from the group with a puzzled expression creasing her face. She spread her bare toes out farther apart, pressing them as close as possible against the ground. Her blind gaze fell towards the earth. One moment. Two moments. A third moment, and she gingerly knelt down, pressing her palms against the street itself with her fingers splayed across the pavement.

Suyin noticed her mother's odd actions and shot a curious glance. "Mom, what is it?"

"Something's coming," Toph replied, with a low, questioning tone. "Something... fluid. Water?"

Toph's tentative words of concern were the only warning they received before a massive flood of water rushed around the corner of the street. Neither the citizens nor police officers had a chance to react before the wave crashed over them. They turned with widened eyes, their screams cut short as the wall of water engulfed them and froze solid, locking them within a massive block of ice.

With the few seconds of warning Toph had given, she and Su were able to shield themselves with an earthen dome. Seconds after the ice hardened, they shoved the dome apart, causing the ice surrounding them to shatter. With a few stumbling steps, they wandered back into the open and freed themselves. Everyone else, citizens and officers alike, remained trapped within their frigid prison, Mako and P'Li included.

Moments later, the ice surrounding Mako and P'Li began to waver and melt. Firebenders to their very core, the pair fluctuated their body temperatures to extreme degrees, and within seconds they walked free of their prison, if a little wet as a result. Wing and Wei, on the other hand, were not as fortunate. Same as all the others, they remained trapped, their arms raised in desperate defense, with a look of shock frozen on their faces.

"Wing! Wei!" Suyin ran to them, pressing her hands against the face of the ice. Her worried calls went unanswered, save for the vague flicker of movement in her sons' eyes beyond the frozen wall. She didn't slow. With a furious shout, she flicked a pair of armblades out from beneath her bracers and began to chip away at the frozen surface, piece by piece.

"Damn it, somebody get a waterbender over here!" Mako turned, expecting there to be another officer there to follow his order. When he saw none, he spun back around with his jaw clenched. An abrupt rush of uncertainty and anxiety swarmed his gut, as his gaze scanned the street. "Who did this?"

"I did." The answer came swift and calm, as a tall, lithe figure dressed in blue Water Tribe robes strode into view from around the side of the ice wall he had created.

Mako immediately took a defensive stance, raising his fists. Daggers of flame sparked into his grip. "Unalaq…"

"Well, well, look who it is," P'Li said, narrowing a seething glare at the man. To say that she had a history with Unalaq would be an understatement. He had been the one who led her, Zaheer, and the rest of the Red Lotus twenty-four years ago, only to leave them to rot in prison when their attempt to kidnap the Avatar had failed. She immediately took a step forward, cracking her knuckles in preparation for a fight. "I've been waiting for this for a long time."

Unalaq stood straight with his hands held behind his back, nose turned up as if the woman addressing him were nothing more than a rancid-smelling pile of garbage. "Is that so?"

P'Li glanced towards the citizens frozen within the ice, before quickly bringing her focus back to the former chieftain. "Bad move on your part, coming here. Enslaved by Sen or not, you have no idea what you just got yourself into."

He merely scoffed. "I'm afraid the opposite is true, actually."

An odd presence accompanied Unalaq's words. Imposing, oppressive, and impossible to ignore. Toph was the first to notice, spinning around to face the figure that had appeared behind them. The others followed suit. P'Li, in particular, turned around to find herself staring at a woman's neckline. She paused, blinking in sudden surprise. Few people could match the combustionbender's height. So often the tallest one in any given room, she'd always been the one looking down on others. Now, she found herself forced to look up in order to meet the gaze of this woman. The woman stared back. A veritable giant dressed in green robes with white and red face paint, she stood nearly a head taller than P'Li.

P'Li's hesitation faded after only a brief second. She lunged backwards, attempting to put enough distance between herself and this mystery woman to unleash a combustion blast. While she did manage to create the distance, the explosion that popped out from her third eye struck full force into a solid rock wall that did little more than crack upon impact with a cacophonous boom. Seconds later, the ground beneath her feet exploded upwards, sending her flying in a cloud of dust and debris.

"Look out!" Toph shouted, with an uncharacteristic well of fear surging across her face.

The mystery woman's earthen wall exploded seconds later, creating a cloud of stone shrapnel. Toph reacted with urgent haste, managing to redirect the cloud an instant before it tore them all to shreds. Even as she did, she couldn't escape damage herself. Slicing stones raked across her arms, and sent her sliding off balance. The giant woman in white face paint glared at them a moment longer before shifting into an offensive stance. Rather than fists, she pulled out a pair of folding fans from her sleeves and flipped them open at the ready.

"Fight back, if you wish," the woman stated, in a low, smooth voice, "but the result will be the same. You will all die."

Kuvira slowed the truck to a stop outside the Sato mansion and jumped out, breaking into a sprint as soon as her feet touched the ground. She wasted no time barging through the front entrance into the main foyer. "Shayu! Shayu, we have to go!"

A brief pause followed, before the sound of rolling wheels across tiled floor echoed into the foyer. Shayu appeared moments later, hurrying forward in her wheelchair. "Kuvira? What's going on? I looked outside and saw the storm, and now there are explosions and—"

A sudden blast of wind erupted through the windows of the mansion. Glass showered the floor, followed seconds later by a second gust that ripped the curtains from their rods and knocked over expensive pottery from their pedestals. Clay shattered across the tile, mixing with glass in a sea of jagged shards. Kuvira raced forward and grabbed the handles of Shayu's wheelchair. Without further pause, she raced out the doorway towards the truck.

"It's Sen!" she shouted, raising her voice to be heard over the wind. The storm picked up with wild fervor. Lightning flashed across the sky in bright streaks, like spidery fingers reaching towards the clouds. One bolt strayed outward from the clouds and blasted the top of a nearby tower, causing the roof to erupt in a shower of debris. "I'm here to get you to safety!"

Shayu could only watch with wild eyes at the chaos around them, her mouth hanging open in stunned silence. Even as Kuvira lifted her from her chair and placed her in the passenger's seat of the truck, she could not tear her gaze away from it all. Her eyes flared in horror, and her fingers tensed into balled fists, shaking in paralyzing fear.

Once Shayu was seated in the truck, Kuvira folded the wheelchair and placed it gently into the rear flatbed, before hurrying back around to the front to climb into the driver's seat. Slamming the door shut behind her, she floored her foot against the pedal and took off down the street. The nearest entrance to the underground bunker beneath the city was only two blocks away, which meant they should be able to make it before they ran into any trouble.

Should.

The moment she turned the truck around the corner of the next street, she noticed a man standing in her path. Instinct took over, lifting her foot to slam on the brakes. In the following few seconds, as the struck began to skid across the slick pavement, she caught a brief glimpse of the man's appearance—long brown hair tied in a topknot, bushy beard, red and gold Fire Nation robes.

Everything that followed was a blur. A wall of fire erupted between them. Kuvira cut the steering wheel in desperate attempt to avoid the flames, causing the truck to lurch sharply to the side. Not quick enough. They tilted onto two wheels for several seconds before the vehicle began to fall, crashing with a thunderous creak of twisted metal onto its side. The airbag burst outward, whipping Kuvira's head back with a crack. The last thing she remembered before falling limp in a stunned daze was the sound of their satomobile crashing through a storefront, and Shayu screaming.

Naga raced through the streets of Republic City as fast as her powerful legs could carry her, struggling against the weight of four passengers on her back. Korra, Azula, Katara, and Zuko hung on tight to remain seated in the saddle without falling off, while both Opal and Jinora glided alongside them, their wingsuits spread open wide. As Naga turned the corner of a street, Korra looked down in frustration at the radio in her hand. All attempts so far to reach Asami or anyone else had resulted in nothing more than static. No matter. They weren't far now. All they had to do was keep going this way, and—

Korra's gaze snapped upward when Naga slid to a halt. The stop was so sharp and sudden that only she and Azula managed to hang on, while both Katara and Zuko lost their grips and stumbled off the polar bear dog's back to the ground. Jinora and Opal slowed in response, and fluttered down out of the sky to land next to them. Korra's initial instinct to ask Naga why she'd stopped evaporated with a silent gasp, as she noticed what was blocking their path: a sheer wall of ice that stretched across the entirety of the street, and continued on to branch into each of the connecting streets.

"What is this?" Korra hopped off of Naga to investigate further. As she drew closer, she noticed vague outlines trapped within the ice. Her attention sharpened, focusing on the outlines. When she realized what they were, a searing jolt of panic tore through her. People. Dozens, if not hundreds, of people, all of them imprisoned in a frozen tomb. "How...?"

"They're... frozen," Jinora said, with slow, horrific revelation. "Who could have done this?"

Korra shook out of her daze and shifted into a smooth waterbending pose in front of the ice. "I don't know, but we need to help them. Katara, give me a hand. Together, we can—"

The sound of snapping ice erupted through the air, as a second frigid wall swept across the street. Both Korra and Jinora leaped away to one side, narrowly avoiding the frozen mass. The wall continued on, lifting more than thirty feet tall and growing down the entirety of the street. Within the span of a short few moments, the pair had effectively been cut off from the rest of their party.

"Korra! Jinora!" It was Zuko's voice, muffled on the other side of the thick wall. "Are you alright?"

Korra's response caught in her throat, as two figures appeared on the top of the wall before them. One was a man dressed in Water Tribe Garb with a polar bear dog headdress, sliding his way along a wave of ice down to the street. The other was a man in yellow and orange Air Nomad robes, his head shaved bald with a thin beard lining his jaw. Blue arrow tattoos traced across his arms and atop his head, the signature sign of a master airbender. He stood atop the wall with a folded glider staff in one hand, his gaze focused on the two below him.

Korra stared at them, unable to bring herself to say anything. Unable to move. Her fingers trembled, anxious and panicked at the opposition now standing before her. While Jinora had already warned her about their resurrection at the hands of Sen, she hadn't been prepared to face them like this. Hearing about them and actually seeing them were two entirely different things. Dear spirits, how in the world would they make it out of this?

"Jinora!" Katara's voice this time, her tone frantic with worry over her granddaughter.

"We're fine, Gram-Gram," Jinora said, breaking the silence with a hoarse crack in her tone. "But you guys need to go. Now."

"What? What's going on?"

Korra swallowed, forcing the shock from her system long enough to respond. "Katara, you guys go. Find the others and regroup. We'll catch up."

"But—"

"Just go!" Korra hardened her tone. Hardened her resolve. No more time to wait around, no more time to second guess themselves. They had to act.

On the other side of the wall, Opal shot a concerned look towards the others. "Are we sure we can leave them?"

"You heard them," Azula said, giving a long look towards the top of the ice wall. Indeed, getting over or through such a barrier would take time they didn't have. Opal might be able to glide over, but their efforts were better spent elsewhere. With a simple gesture to the back of Naga's saddle, she ushered them to join her. Katara and Zuko hesitated only a moment before following. "Alright, you smelly mutt. Mush."

The polar bear dog gave a gentle whine, looking back at the ice wall with a longing in her eyes. Moments later, she bounded off in the other direction in search of an alternate route.

When they were gone, Korra and Jinora remained to face the two individuals before them. Korra's initial protective nature pushed her forward, putting herself between them and Jinora. Without so much as a moment's hesitation, Jinora stepped out from behind her and moved next to her. Korra eased a relaxed breath. Of course. She forgot, sometimes. Jinora wasn't a little girl anymore. She was the New Air Nation's spiritual leader, and had been a master airbender for nearly a decade. She stood by Korra's side now as an equal, prepared to help in whatever way she could.

The Air Nomad man flipped his glider open and floated gracefully down to the ground. When he landed, the glider folded again into a staff, as he spun it to rest beneath the crook of his arm. "It's good to see you again, Korra." His voice was calm and gentle, yet carried with it a stern weight. The kind of weight present only in the authority that was the Avatar. "But I'm afraid this time will be the last."

Korra breathed deep and stood tall, staring the man straight in his eyes. "Aang..."

And with him, Avatar Kuruk, the waterbender at his side. Together, two of the past four Avatars stood against them, enslaved by Sen's will. If there were any way to avoid this conflict, Korra would have taken it in a heartbeat. Would that they were that lucky. No, there was no avoiding this. The only thing she could do now was shift into a bending stance alongside Jinora, and prepare for the impending fight.

"Guess we don't have a choice," she muttered, with a deep breath through her nose. She closed her eyes, emptied her mind, and calmed herself. When she opened her eyes again, fire ignited in her gaze. "Alright, let's do this."

Toph sucked in a deep breath of air and slid her foot back across the ground. Even though she couldn't see, she could still feel the area around herself. Her allies had already fallen, and she could sense them nearby, motionless on the ground. P'Li had been the first, followed soon after by Mako. Suyin had managed to put up a fight for a few moments, but had fallen same as the others. They were still alive—she could sense that much—but if this battle didn't turn around quick, they wouldn't last much longer.

While Toph might not have been an old woman anymore, her body ached with a steady throb, and every breath she took seared like fire through her lungs. Not that she was out of shape by any means. On the contrary, she was back in the best shape of her life. Problem was, she'd never exerted herself so much in so short a time before. Never had to work so hard in a fight, only to gain so little ground. This opponent was different from any she'd ever faced. The one opponent who could possibly match her.

"So, you're the one who claims to be the greatest earthbender in the world?" The woman in white facepaint took a step forward, leaving behind a large footprint in the softened dirt beneath her. She flicked her wrist, twisting one of her fans. A gaping fissure ruptured across the ground in response, forcing Toph to leap out of the way seconds before an explosion of stone consumed the spot where she'd been standing. "How very disappointing."

"Hey, I'm just getting warmed up," Toph replied, in her usual cocky and smug tone. She slashed a smirk across her face, and cracked her neck from side to side. "It's been sixty years since I've had a body this young, plus you got the jump on us, so cut me some slack here. I'll hand it to you, though. You sure are giving me a run for my money. Not that I would have expected any less from you." With a crack of her knuckles, she shook herself loose and sank into her signature bending pose. The smirk never left her face. "Alright, here we go: the Earth Rumble to end all Earth Rumbles: Toph Beifong versus the big bad Avatar Kyoshi! Let's get it on!"

Kuvira forcefully blinked herself awake, doing her best to ignore the incessant ringing in her ears. Her vision blurred and wavered for several moments, before rapidly spinning back into focus. How long had she been out? A few moments, maybe? A few moments too long. Whoever had caused their truck to crash could be approaching in preparation to finish them off right now. Fighting against the throbbing in her head, she unclipped the seatbelt that held her in place. The world tumbled in a swirling vertigo, as she fell upside down and hit the roof of the truck. When her senses steadied, she kicked the driver's side door open with a single blow and crawled out of the upturned vehicle. Once she was free, she spun back around to help Shayu.

She found the girl hanging limply upside down in the passenger's seat, held in place by the seat belt. Shayu didn't move or say anything, but her eyes did flicker with a noticeable sign of life. She managed a soft groan as Kuvira reached inside to lift her out of the truck, but nothing more. Judging from the large bruise and cut across the front of her forehead, she'd be dazed for a while. Kuvira cradled Shayu gently in her arms, climbing back out of the truck into the open.

"Don't worry, Shayu," she whispered, brushing the girl's hair out of her face. "Everything will be alright. I'll get you out of here."

"I wouldn't be so certain."

Kuvira froze, turning towards the voice. A man stood before her in the street, watching through the gaping hole of the storefront they'd crashed through—the firebender who'd caused their crash. He made no advancement towards them, but neither did he move out of the way, as Kuvira stepped back out onto the street.

"Who are you?" Kuvira retained her hold on Shayu, but turned her body defensively all the same. "Explain yourself!"

"Your struggle is futile," the firebender stated, with a soft breath inward. "Give in, and make this easier on yourself."

"Yeah, I don't think so."

The firebender merely sighed, as though he had expected such defiance. With a simple shift in his stance, he punched a fist forward and expelled a spiraling stream of flames at her. Kuvira ducked low and stomped the ground. A wall of earth lifted upward in front of herself, forcing the flames to break against the solid barrier. At the same time, she turned her body to shield Shayu from the resulting heat. That should have been enough. Against most opponents it would have been, and yet within a short few seconds the super heated flames cracked through the wall. Explosive force tore outward, and the stone ruptured.

Kuvira slid backwards from the impact, but she retained her balance enough to roll behind a newspaper dispenser. Not the best cover, but she'd take anything she could get at this point. What did she do now? She couldn't fight this man while protecting Shayu, but she wouldn't be able to get away if she didn't. She could put Shayu down and engage the man, but that risked Shayu being hurt in the crossfire. Damn it, think! There had to be something she could do.

Another blast of fire erupted against the newspaper dispenser. The small metal container exploded, launching both Kuvira and Shayu end over end across the ground. Kuvira tucked the unconscious girl close to her body and spun with the blast, taking most of the force as they rolled across the street. When they came to a stop, she pushed herself upright with a deep groan and looked towards their attacker. The firebender now approached, walking forward with long, smooth strides. Setting Shayu down on the ground, Kuvira climbed back to her feet and stood between her and the man. No choice left now but to fight. She'd just have to do everything she could to keep Shayu out of harm's way.

Flames sparked into view, streaking through the air with a blinding blue flash. Explosive force ruptured in the street between them, pushing the man back a step and forcing Kuvira to shield her eyes. When the air cleared, she looked forward again to see lingering vestiges of blue fire flickering across the pavement. The flames swirled, and a figure strode through them, lit by the ethereal blue glow of her fire.

Kuvira's heart skipped a beat, before she allowed herself to relax. "Azula?"

"Looks like I'm here just in time, as usual," Azula said, with a haughty sigh. Never taking her eyes off the firebender man, she shifted her stance into her own signature pose, fingers extended. "You guys take Shayu and get out of here. I'll handle him."

Kuvira blinked her attention away from Azula, now noticing Zuko and Katara approaching from behind her, both seated atop Naga. She didn't hesitate. Without a word, she retrieved Shayu from the ground and hurried over to the polar bear dog to join the others atop the saddle.

Zuko shifted a concerned glance towards his sister. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, Zuzu, don't you worry about me," she stated, as she whirled her arms to create a circle of blue flames around herself and her opponent. "Just going to fight fire with a little fire. Besides, he's our ancestor. I should be the one to do this."

Zuko's eyes flicked carefully back and forth between the two for a brief moment. His apprehension quickly relaxed, and he gave a nod. As soon as Kuvira and Shayu were positioned atop the saddle, he urged the polar bear dog into motion. "Just be careful."

When they were gone, Azula focused her glare on her opponent and snaked a confident smirk across her face. "You should know, I'm well versed in fighting Avatars. This won't be easy for you."

"Nor will it be for you," the man replied, shifting into a simple firebending stance.

"Just don't say I didn't warn you when I'm standing over your charred body." Azula stared him straight in the eyes, the smirk never leaving her face. The man looked much younger than she recalled from many of the paintings in the royal palace, but she remembered a few that depicted him as such, and as an enemy of the Fire Nation ever since Sozin began the Hundred Year War, so long ago. "Roku."

"Oh man, it's getting worse." Sinn squinted up at the sky, shielding her face from the driving rain with a raised arm. The storm raged, streaking webs of lightning across the sky above. "This is bad."

Asami leaned out the window of the truck, following her girlfriend's gaze. 'Bad' was an understatement, if she'd ever heard one. Judging from those clouds, this storm wasn't natural, and it was only getting worse. "Sinn, I want you and the Republic City officers to head over to the next block and help with evacuations."

Sinn spun around with her eyebrows raised. "What? But you're almost ready to leave, and we're supposed to be protecting you."

"I know, but I'm worried about the citizens." Asami's attention shifted down the street, where a group of ten police officers stood guarding the perimeter outside Future Industries Tower. "Sen got here quicker than we expected. There's bound to be citizens who haven't made it to the bunker yet, and they're going to need all the help they can get."

"That's what the others are working on," Sinn insisted, approaching the truck. She placed her hands against the side of the open window, leaning close to her girlfriend with a pleading expression. "They have their assignments, and we have ours. If you think I'm leaving you unprotected—"

"I can handle myself. You know that."

"Well, yeah, but—"

"Please, Sinn."

Sinn heaved a deep, reluctant sigh, as she took a long look over her shoulder. Rain pattered against her armor, pinging the air with a gentle, rhythmic tune that almost distracted from the dire nature of their predicament. Almost. Shifting focus back to Asami, she said, "Fine. We'll sweep through the surrounding blocks towards Dragon Flats and check for any citizens who need help, but after that I'm coming straight back to find you."

"Thank you." Asami smiled, and leaned further out the window to give her girlfriend a kiss. "We'll be fine, don't worry."

"You better." Jogging away from the truck, Sinn called the attention of the officers and relayed the president's orders. Within a few moments, the entire group hurried around the street corner out of sight.

When they were gone, Asami turned a look towards the back of the truck, where the Spirit Conductor sat strapped tight in the flatbed behind her. A good thing they'd taken extra precautions to shield the device's electrical circuitry. As bad as the storm was, it wouldn't do any harm.

"How's it coming back there?" she called.

"Almost ready!" Varrick replied with a strained shout, as the howling winds nearly drowned out his voice entirely. "Just a few more bolts in place and we can get moving!"

"We'd better hurry!" Zhu Li wiped her wet bangs out of her eyes and returned Asami's gaze. "I'm not sure how much longer the United Forces will be able to hold off Sen!"

"Oh quit your worrying!" Varrick jammed his screwdriver into the side of one of the panels and gave it a few more twists. "Just about... got it! Alright, Madame President, let's book it!"

Asami didn't waste a single moment. As soon as Varrick gave the okay, she rolled up her window and shoved her foot as hard as she could against the gas pedal. Tires screeched across pavement, and they shot forward. She had to be careful, given the weather conditions and the payload they were carrying, but every second they took meant another soul Sen consumed. Another life destroyed. They had to get out of the city, find Sen, and activate the Spirit Conductor as soon as possible if they were to have any chance of succeeding.

A blur of movement jolted panic through her, forcing her foot over to the gas pedal. Tires screeched again, this time bringing the truck to a sudden halt as Asami desperately swerved sideways to avoid a solid blue and white mass that exploded directly into her path. When the truck came to a full stop, she paused to examine what she'd almost hit. An ice wall? She blinked in confusion, focusing through the rain as the windshield wipers glided back and forth in front of her eyes.

Rather than waste time wondering where it had come from, she immediately shifted the truck into reverse and began to turn the truck around. If she couldn't go this way, she'd have to find a way around another street. The truck made it only ten feet before a second ice wall carved behind her, effectively boxing in the truck between the frozen barriers..

"What's going on over there!" Varrick called, sitting upright from his seat in the back of the truck.

Asami rolled the driver's side window down to answer, only to pause when she noticed a figure standing a short distance away. A woman, from the look of it, dressed in a blue and white Water Tribe gown. The woman did not move, nor did she make any further attack, but her presence made clear she was the one who had trapped the truck. With a clenched jaw, Asami reached into the glove compartment, pulled out her Equalist glove, and shoved open the door to jump down onto the street. No way around it. They needed to get through this blockade, and there was only one way to do that.

"I don't know who you are," Asami stated, as she pulled the shock glove over her right hand. She gave it a firm squeeze, causing a spark of electricity to pulse out of the palm. Rain hissed and popped against the man-made lightning, instantly evaporating into steam. "But you need to get out of our way. Now."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," the woman replied, with a deep breath. In spite of the clear opposition she posed, her expression was distant, as though she didn't even want to be there. Still, she shifted into a waterbending stance all the same, prepared to fight. "My name is Megumi."

Asami narrowed her eyes, shifting into her own fighting stance. "Why would I care about your name?"

Megumi shrugged. "A courtesy, I suppose. I am sorry for this, but I don't have a choice. I have to stop you."