Chapter 8: Darkest Night
Korra, Bolin, and four other United Forces earth bending soldiers raised a stone barrier just in time to absorb several electric shocks and various bending attacks.
"Lance Corporal! Liquid rock!" Diago roared while he, Sergeant Xinyue, and a mixture of United Forces soldiers and police returned the attacks with fury.
"Liquid rock, coming up!" Bolin grinned with bursting enthusiasm. He now wore a green United Forces uniform of earth benders, and concentrating hard, Bolin thrust both fists forward. Within moments, the wall of rock began to smoke, turning bright red before melting into lava that now slid across the pavement in a controlled manner, forcing back Equalists and Red Lotus combatants alike.
"Push forward!" Diago roared as he, Kya, and two other water benders slammed half-a-dozen combatants on both sides into various buildings and froze them in place.
Various explosions from Equalist bombs and Red Lotus bending rocked the street corners, putting countless trapped civilians in mortal danger. In response to this, Korra leaped up high and unleashed a pair of tornados that forced several explosives back, giving her room to bend up more protective metal and stone barriers in front of the combatants.
A few Equalists and Red Lotus members attacked from several rooftops, only to crumble before the onslaught of fire, metal, and air bending, which came at them in a continuous barrage. Mako and Lin kept up tremendous pressure. The young fire bender now adorned in a police uniform.
"Move in! Evacuate the civilians!" Lin barked to a pair of her metal bender policewomen, who sent a trio of Equalists flying with their chains.
"Lance Corporal, you too!" Xinyue added. Opal, now in a customized United Forces uniform intended to work efficiently with her air bending at the Platoon sergeant's command, soared through the air, blasting a pair of Red Lotus water benders back before landing amidst three bloodied and debris-covered civilians.
"It's ok. We're going to get you out of here." Opal spoke in the warmest voice she could muster, which came like cleansing water to the terrified innocents.
Opal lifted the refugees high enough for Lin's metal benders to pull them to safety with a tremendous gust of wind. All the while, Lin and Mako kept up the pressure on any combatants that tried to take advantage of the rescuers' distractions.
The Avatar used her earth bending sight just like Toph did, sensing every combatant's movement opposing them. Much to Korra's relief, she didn't feel any of Tarrlock or Amon's Lieutenants, though a part of her also felt a bit disappointed, for it also meant they couldn't capture them.
Even so, she had a job to do. Taking a deep breath, Korra brought forth a controlled barrage of blue flames and stone. Kya and Diago both took advantage of this and collected the debris with their water bending. The Southern Master went on the offensive, sweeping up entire squads of combatants while Diago bent more strategically. Pinning groups of attackers in with rocky water spouts.
"Ready!?" Diago asked, a hint of anticipation in his smile behind the mouth covering. Korra, Kya, Xinyue, Lin, Opal, Bolin, and Mako all shared in the Lieutenant's enthusiasm.
"Ready!" Korra declared.
"Alright, together!" Kya roared. Bolin's expression filled with dedication, and he bent up three streams of lava towards the mass of combatants. Opal immediately spun over Bolin, conjuring up three typhoons of wind directly over the lava, carrying terrible heat with them.
Mako now did his part, furiously turning the tunnels of hot wind into blazing cyclones. Lin bent bits of metal from across the alley into these flaming tornados, causing burning hot shrapnel to fly in every direction.
Diago and Kya bent up barriers of icy water, protecting them and their allies. Finally, Korra added the finishing touch, bending all four elements. She ensured the combined attacks moved exactly where they wanted them to go.
"Charge!" Diago roared. His soldiers rushed in alongside a few police officers, overwhelming the now pinned down combatants one by one until, at last, peace returned, if only for a moment.
Korra exhaled in relief and looked over the aftermath. Aid workers from Varrick Global Industries and Future Industries took over for the exhausted servicemen and women, who now rested and tended to their wounded.
"Ahh, you've got the touch, honey." Lin sounded both relaxed and slightly stimulated when Kya used water bending to heal a few burn marks and bruises across her body.
"Another victory for Team Avatar!" Bolin proclaimed with beaming excitement. His fist raised high in the air.
"Corporal." Diago's expression turned stern as he emphasized the ruined streets and wounded civillians.
"Oh, right. Sorry, sir." Bolin's face turned sheepish as Opal put a comforting arm around his shoulders.
"At least we stopped it from getting worse, sir." She said in Bolin's defense. Diago softened his demeanor, particularly as he glanced over at Korra, who tried to meditate beside the resting soldiers and police.
Over a year passed since Korra arrived in Republic City, now nineteen years old. She'd fought in over a dozen small-scale battles alongside Diago's Platoon, now assigned as her task force. Since the Equalist attack on the Pro-Bending championship, Mako, Bolin, and Opal formally entered the fight to protect Republic City.
Mako joined the police force while Opal and Bolin enlisted in the United Forces. Much to Tenzin and Suyin's dismay. Despite her mother's drastic attempts to prevent this from happening, Opal made it through training alongside Bolin.
"Are you guys doing ok?" Asami's warm voice lifted Mako's mood as he sat against a building covered in sweat and rubble. His girlfriend carried a clipboard while directing various aid workers from Future industries.
"Nothing that won't heal." Mako responded with a smile.
"Good, because we only have enough medical supplies for the wounded refugees." Asami said in a mischievous voice.
"What?! You weren't prepared to help the police or United Forces?" Mako retorted in a fake, offended tone.
"Well, I trusted that chief Beifong and Lieutenant Diago would ensure their forces had enough supplies."
"Your trust was well placed." Lin said in a self-assured tone, emphasizing the crates of medical supplies passed out by her officers and a few of Diago's men.
"Well, there's still a lot of work to be done. Maybe I should help-" Mako started as he tried to get up, only for Asami to ease him back down.
"Rest, babe. You've done enough. Let us take care of this."
"I'm good with that." Kya exhaled, now cuddling up beside Lin with a shared exhausted look between them.
"You should listen to her, Mako. Who knows when we might have to fight again." Korra said in a tone that drew concern from her companions.
The Avatar still meditated, sitting cross-legged with her eyes shut, breathing in a controlled manner.
"You ok, Korra?" Bolin asked carefully. He and Opal slowly inching themselves closer to her before Diago cut them off, placing himself between the two and Korra with a look that reminded them that he was their Platoon leader.
Was she ok? That was a question Korra heard far to often in the last few months. Perhaps she wondered it herself. Since Amon crashed the Pro-Bending championship, relations between benders and non-benders only deteriorated. Despite her best efforts to act as a mediator, more and more, Korra found herself in battles like this.
Finally, Korra exhaled and opened her eyes towards Diago.
"Better?"
"Not really." She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.
"You wanted this to end peacefully." Korra remained silent, savoring the sensation of Diago stroking her lengthy hair, which she now always wore down.
"Fewer people would've been hurt, and their livelihoods not turned upside down." Korra stared hard at the ruined street and wounded innocents.
"Korra, it's not your fault the Equalists and Red Lotus were determined to fight here. This wasn't a protest you could reason with." Diago assured Korra.
"We don't know that-" Korra started.
"Yes, we do. He's right, Korra. I doubt even my father could've broken this up peacefully." Kya added. Mako, Bolin, Opal, Asami, Kya, Lin, and Diago noticed Korra's expression relax slightly, but not completely.
"It just seems like fewer people are willing to listen every day. Like we're not making a difference."
"You made a big difference for them." Asami assured Korra, pointing to groups of civilians attended to by aid workers.
The Avatar finally smiled a little but didn't move from Diago's shoulder.
"Maybe you're right. It just gets tiring after a while."
"That's why we're here." Moments later, Zhu Li approached them, like Asami, a clipboard in hand. Korra and the others noticed a tired/concerned look on her face.
"Is everything alright, Zhu Li?" Asami asked in a cautious tone.
"I just got a call from Varrick. Apparently, there was another attack near the eastern waterfront."
"What!?" Diago and Korra sprung to their feet together before Zhu Li raised a calming hand to them.
"It's taken care of, Major Meng Jiao of the United Forces and a few squads of police suppressed the Equalists and Red Lotus combatants there. However, there are just as many injured and displaced civilians. Varrick is sending over more relief supplies, and I'll need to organize their distribution. Can you handle things here, Asami?"
The young woman nodded, though with a growing sense of disconcertion.
"Where is the relief from the city council?"
Zhu Li sighed, holding the bridge of her nose with an exhausted look.
"Raiko claims that it's getting lost to bureaucracy and an inefficient system. But Varrick's sources in city hall claim that Raiko is subtly ensuring the funds aren't properly diverted."
Lin tightened her fists as metal around her began to contort.
"That wretched, corrupt piece of shit. All of this so he can cheat his way into becoming president. Does he have any proof? I'll arrest him tonight!" Lin snarled.
"I'm afraid not, only rumors."
"Can't Tenzin doing anything about it!?" Asami shouted, only for Korra to shake her head.
"Afraid not, between the new baby, more students arriving, and Jinora going on about the upcoming lunar eclipse, he's swamped." Korra said in a weary tone.
"It doesn't matter now. Those people need help, and if City Council doesn't do it, we will!" Zhu Li declared with no less dedication and resolve than Lin, Korra, or the others.
"Well, at least this crisis is bringing out the best in some people." Korra said with much admiration for Zhu Li.
"Indeed, I can say it certainly did so for you lot." Diago chuckled while emphasizing Mako, Bolin, and Opal.
"Hey, you don't think being the head of security for a major businessman was noble?" Mako asked.
"Or playing the staring role in a hit TV show! Or being a bender athlete!?" Bolin added.
"Compared to being a police officer and soldier. Not really." Diago countered in a very relaxed voice that made Korra smirk, particularly when she saw Lin and Opal turn on the two brothers.
"So you don't think you stepped up when you joined the force, office Mako?"
"No! I did, I was just-"
"I thought you wanted to do more with your bending. I've loved our time in the United Forces together." Opal said crossing her arms.
"So have I! I was just kidding, I-" Opal barely held back her laughter and planted a long kiss on Bolin's lips while Lin playfully smacked Mako's shoulder with her fist.
The fire bender grunted but didn't show much pain beyond that.
"Good, it took Sergeant Machi two years to stop complaining about my love taps." Lin said, earning a giggle from Kya. Mako shook his head while turning to Asami, who smiled back tenderly.
"Well, I better get back to work. Oh, that reminds me. Korra, there are a few kids here who want to meet the Avatar. Would you mind entertaining them a little?" Asami asked.
Korra took a deep breath but got up.
"Sure, why not."
"Have fun." Kya chuckled while Lin gave a look of relief that she wasn't asked to join them.
"Why don't you come too, Diago? Maybe they'll be interested in meeting the Avatar's boyfriend."
Diago narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Is that all I am? Not a soldier, a leader, a skilled water bender, just the Avatar's boyfriend?"
"Pretty much." Korra answered with a playful smile as she pulled him up while the others chuckled.
Korra and Diago walked back down the street holding hands before the Avatar realized something.
"Hold on, public displays of affection, in uniform and in front of your platoon?" Korra asked in a fake-stern voice, though Diago shrugged.
"Maybe once, but after a year of you working with this platoon, everyone knows by now." Korra glanced at the few dozen soldiers who waved, smirked, or gave thumbs up at them as they passed.
"Korra."
"Korra."
"Corporal Saeki, Private Zhuan, sorry, Lance Corporal Saeki." Korra corrected herself as the proud young soldier emphasized the new rank insignia on his jacket's sleeves.
"You see, you're part of the family now, Korra." Diago said with a warm smile while kissing her cheek, making the Avatar blush with a passionate expression.
"Thanks, and I think it's safe to say you're part of Team Avatar. In fact, in some way, you were the first member of my Team Avatar."
"Really? How so?" Diago chuckled.
"Well, if you hadn't arrested me, I wouldn't have gone on the path to becoming the Avatar I am today."
"You did that yourself."
Korra shook her head.
"Not alone." She hugged Diago tightly but felt him shiver slightly. Upon pulling back, the Lieutenant's face went pale as he looked at one of the street corners.
"Diago, are you ok?" Korra started until she turned her head to where he gazed. To her surprise, she saw two aid workers with Future Industries tending to a pair of wounded civilians. One was a middle-aged woman clearly from the Northern Water tribe and used water bending to heal her patient. The second was a man, slightly older, who appeared of fire-nation descent, though perhaps with some water tribe mixed in.
After a moment, Korra realized she'd seen this man before, over a year ago, at the Equalist rally.
"Diago!" The woman cried upon seeing him. However, Diago's eyes met the man's, and the two shared a less than cordial exchange. Before she knew what happened, the water bender raced over and hugged Diago, nearly making Korra blink in confusion.
Diago sighed a little before hugging the woman back.
"Mom."
"Mom!?" Korra tried not to shout, but the sheer shock of this unexpected meeting caught her off-guard. Yet then it hit her like an earth pillar to the stomach, the man in front of her, the one Diago confronted back at the Equalist rally, had to be his father.
"Yahiro." Diago's mother pleaded to the man, who continued to look away at his patient.
"I'm tending to a woman child, Ugalik. Another victim to the barbarity of bending." Yahiro's tone mirrored that of many Equalist protestors Korra encountered over the last year. Diago narrowed his eyes and stepped forward with barely contained rage.
"Actually, I recall that particular child being wounded by an Equalist bomb and saved by one of my men, who happens to be a fire bender." Korra saw pain and terror in Ugalik's expression as she reached towards them.
"Diago, Yahiro, please-"
"I don't need more disrespect from you, boy." Yahiro growled, though not allowing the rage to interfere with his work.
"You're right. I'm sure grandfather felt the same." This finally seemed to strike a nerve, and Yahiro practically jumped up with a fiery expression.
"Don't you dare bring up that vile monster as if he deserved any kind of respect!" Korra and those around them grew uncomfortable with the conversation's direction and the passion in their voices. Mixed in with the fury, Korra noticed immense pain in both mens' faces. Still, she was the Avatar, and she'd broken up worse disputes than this.
"Alright, let's take it easy. Diago, uh Yahiro was it." Korra spoke in a calm but slightly assertive voice while placing herself between them. Korra's presence calmed the Lieutenant slightly, though his father looked no less aggressive.
"So this is the Avatar, then." Yahiro almost growled in a way that would've made Korra fire bend at someone a year earlier. Now, much calmer, she absorbed it with a deep breath. Diago narrowed his eyes and tightened his fist after hearing his father's tone.
"Her name is Korra, and she's done more good for this city in one year than you could imagine!"
"The Avatar! I'm sorry, Korra, it's an honor to finally meet you in person!" Ugalik tried to bow respectfully to Korra, though this didn't make the Avatar any more comfortable.
"Hi, nice to finally meet Diago's parents. Your son-"
"So it is true you're working with the Avatar. I thought the rumor was you tried to arrest her. Probably the only good thing you've done with your bending in years." Yahiro continued to growl.
"Be quiet!" Diago snapped back.
"Hey, enough!" Korra placed both hands on Diago's shoulders, and he relaxed slightly. However, she turned back to Yahiro with a stern expression.
"Diago is more than just a bender. He's a dedicated soldier who puts others' well-being above his own. Particularly his girlfriend's!" Korra added, unable to help herself. Yahiro and Ugalik's reactions contrasted sharply upon hearing this.
"Diago, you're dating the Avatar! This is incredible, I, I can't believe it, you-"
"Great, another bender. The worse bender of them all, actually."
Diago couldn't take it anymore, and to Korra and Ugalik's horror, he unleashed a small lasso of water directly at his father.
"Diago!" However, to Korra's disbelief, when Yahiro reacted instinctively and thrust his hand forward, a burst of fire shot out, stopping the water. No one looked more horrified than Yahiro himself, who now began to sweat as benders and non-benders alike stared at him in judgment.
"Still a fire bender, I see. Haven't gone to Amon to take it away."
"You, you-" Yahiro muttered.
"You can hate what you are, what mom is, what I am, and what grandfather was. But I'll never be like you."
Yahiro narrowed his eyes, rage returning.
"You'll turn out just like your grandfather then."
"Yahiro!" Ugalik cried in horror, racing over to him.
Diago fought back tears but stood firm.
"General Tazawa was the bigger monster, and he wasn't a bender." Korra noticed Yahiro's shake for a moment before Diago walked off, not looking back.
"Diago!" Ugalik cried, only restrained by her husband.
"Let go of me!"
Korra nervously went after Diago and tried to confront him.
"Diago-"
"Not now, Korra, please." There wasn't any anger in his voice, only sorrow.
Later that evening, the two rested beside Naga on Air Temple Island. Korra could see and feel the effects of the confrontation earlier.
"Diago, are you ready to talk?" Korra asked softly. Naga also sensed his painful emotions and licked Diago's face while he stroked her head. He didn't speak for a moment but then nodded.
"You never brought up your parents before."
"Now you know why."
Korra placed one hand on Diago's shoulder and took him by the chin with the other.
"I don't understand. You're father's an Equalist, but a bender?" Diago clenched his eyes shut while holding back tears.
"Korra, you remember how I told you my grandfather fought in the hundred years war."
Her eyes widened in understanding.
"He was a fire bender. He fought for the Fire Nation."
"He wasn't just a Fire Nation soldier. He was Captain Sakuma under General Taza. He was a war criminal."
Korra's stomach tightened as she struggled to take in this information.
"My grandfather burned entire villages to the ground, massacred soldiers and civilians alike across the western Earth Kingdom whenever General Taza ordered him to. He became known as the Black Flame of Death."
"Diago, but you said he was so warm and loving."
The Lieutenant couldn't hold back his tears any longer and felt them stream down both cheeks.
"He was when I knew him. At some point, my grandfather couldn't take it anymore, and just before the Day of Black Sun, he killed General Taza, then used the Eclipse to escape the Fire Nation army, becoming a wanted fugitive by both sides."
Korra thought back to her history lessons and remembered that the infamous General Taza was assassinated by one of his officers on the day of Black Sun, leading to a significant Earth Bender rebellion in that part of the Earth Kingdom. That officer was Diago's grandfather!
"Your grandmother, how did they end up together." Diago's expression softened slightly as he thought back to the stories his grandparents told him.
"My grandmother was a northern water tribe healer. My grandfather was on the run when Fire Nation scouts found her tending to wounded Earth Kingdom rebels and tried to kill her. He intervened and drove them off but was wounded in the process. My grandmother started to heal him, but he begged her to let him die, believing himself a monster." Pain returned to Diago's voice as he spoke the last bit, only continuing when Korra placed her hand on his shoulder again.
"Did he tell her the truth?"
Diago nodded.
"Grandma told me she was horrified at first, but the more time she spend around grandpa, the more she saw past what he'd done and how remorseful he was. Eventually, the war ended, and they settled down in the new United Republic."
Korra tried to take it all in but didn't know what to say.
"Ok, how did this lead to your father becoming an Equalist supporter and you two becoming distant?"
Diago shut his eyes again.
"None of us knew for the longest time. My grandfather tried to put his past behind him, hide it from my father and me. Korra, you need to understand my father grew up in the years following the war. People were still resentful towards the Fire Nation and everything they'd done. My father grew up hearing nothing but the Fire Nation's evil deeds, and two years before my grandfather died, we found out who he really was. Everything fell apart from there."
It all started to make sense.
"Your dad's a doctor. When he found out, he thought his dad was a monster."
Diago nodded.
"He started to see bending as evil, projecting his hatred towards my grandfather on bending itself." Diago's weeping became uncontrollable.
"Grandpa begged my dad to listen, but he did everything in his power to keep me away from him. When grandpa died, he didn't even show up to the funeral. He stopped fire bending at all and said the only good bending was water bending because it can heal. I left home that day and haven't looked back since."
Korra hugged Diago, losing track of time as Naga joined in.
"This conflict, it's torn my family apart, but the worse part is, my grandfather committed those crimes. He killed innocent people, even if he did regret it later, and tried to make amends. My warm, loving grandfather was still capable of monstrous things. The day I joined the academy, he begged me to be a better soldier than him. Ever since then, I've worked to honor his wishes."
"You have." Korra let out a tear, hugging Diago tighter and planting a long kiss on his lips. So many things about him were now making sense. An hour later, the two and Naga stared out at the moon, now nearly full.
"Have any plans for the Full Moon?" Korra asked, her head caressed against his shoulder.
"As fun as using water bending at its most powerful is, we've been told to avoid the full moon as of late. Remember two months ago when Tarrlock bent an entire non-bending factory floor into submission."
Korra shivered, recalling that horrible episode all too well.
"Well, at least no one will have to worry about that in the upcoming Lunar Eclipse." Korra said, noticing a profound expression growing on Diago's face.
"Diago?"
"We lose our water bending during a Lunar Eclipse, so would Tarrlock." Korra nodded in understanding.
"He'd be powerless, just like Ozai was during the Day of Black Sun."
"Exactly. How many people even know there's going to be a Lunar Eclipse soon?"
"I only knew because Jinora won't shut up about it, especially after Kai bought her that astronomy book with his Pro-Bending winnings."
"If Tarrlock doesn't know, and we lured him out."
"He'd be helpless, and we could capture him!" Korra almost jumped up in excitement while Naga barked.
"Exactly." A sense of life returned to Diago as he and Korra now sat up straight, facing each other while he took out a piece of paper.
"Now, let's begin." Korra and Diago spent all night and much of the next few days hashing out a plan before presenting it to Iroh, Lin, and Kya when they visited. They sat down together with Tenzin and the rest of Team Avatar while explaining their proposal.
"And that's it, sir." Diago tried to contain his excitement while he spoke. Korra was of a similar demeanor, noticing Opal and Bolin also beaming. Iroh, Tenzin, Mako, and Asami, however, appeared more skeptical.
"This is a well-thought-out plan, Lieutenant. But it's a bit ambitious."
"Hmp, is that so bad?" Lin countered, stroking her chin with great interest as she looked at the paper.
"You're basing a lot of the decisions on the precedence of the Day of Black Sun invasion. But must we remind you both that the attack was a failure? The Fire Lord knew it was coming and took precautions. Tarrlock is certainly going to do the same." Tenzin said firmly.
"Come on, Tenzin, how many of you even knew about the upcoming eclipse? You only know because Jinora keeps bringing it up." Korra said in a very confident tone.
"I think they're right. This could be our big chance!" Opal tried not to shout but couldn't help herself.
"Not to mention this is an entirely different situation as the day of Black Sun, Iroh. We aren't invading hostile territory. We're luring them out to us." Lin added in growing enthusiasm.
"General, if we could capture Tarrlock, the entire Red Lotus movement could fall apart, then we'd only have to fight the Equalists. This could be our only chance to face a powerless Tarrlock." Diago pleaded with Iroh, who took a deep breath and looked over the document closer. Kya remained silent, only giving Korra and Diago slight nods of approval.
"Alright, we'll begin more serious planning."
"Yes! Tarrlock's going down!" Bolin shouted. Mako and Asami sighed in concern.
"I hope this works." Mako said silently.
"Me too."
The following two weeks went by slower than usual for Korra and the others. For the first time since the Pro-Bending championship, she felt genuinely excited about what was to come, and the best part was that the plan was her doing just as much as Diago's. She would finally get a substantial win against the extremists. She'd bring Tarrlock in.
At last, the night came. Korra stared up at the full moon with Naga closeby.
"This is it. I know it." Diago looked up with them, confidence and hope filling his eyes like light from the moon. Korra wanted to join in his spirit but felt a growing fear as she looked at him and Kya nearby.
"I'm not sure about you two being here. Once the eclipse starts, you'll both lose your bending too."
"We appreciate your concern, Korra, but if there isn't any water benders among us, Tarrlock will grow suspicious." Kya said in a far too relaxed tone.
"We'll be fine, I promise." Diago said, kissing Korra's cheek.
"Don't worry about them. I'll make sure they stay safe when the moon goes dark." Lin said, placing her arms around their shoulders. Korra took a deep breath before turning to Naga.
"Watch over them too." Naga nodded before moving around the water benders.
"Well, there you go, between Lin and Naga, what could go wrong?" Kya said. However, this time, even Lin and Diago looked at her warily.
"Honey, never say that phrase in a situation like this." Lin muttered. Across from them in another hiding place, Mako, Asami, Opal, and Bolin waited with Sergeant Xinyue and another squad nearby.
Their task forces hid in various places around a massive laboratory where scientists from Future Industries and other companies worked to build new devices, many of which made bending-run machinery obsolete. Members of the police and United Forces did everything in their power to make it appear still functioning, while in reality, they'd evacuated it and its research earlier.
Korra's heart pounded faster and faster with each passing minute, the Full Moon illuminating every inch of Republic City in its rich light. Finally, she felt something with her earth sense. Lin felt it too and readied herself.
"They're coming."
Bolin got into a fighting stance when he saw and felt lava surround the facility perimeter. Ghazan burst up from the ground, opening up tunnels for a few dozen other Red Lotus combatants, including Zaheer, Ming Hau, and Pli, to emerge.
"Come on, come on." Korra tightened her grips on the railing so hard they almost bent.
"Let's give these 'scientists' a show! Full Moon style!" Ming Hau laughed maniacally while shooting water tentacles through the walls and tearing through entire sections.
"Oh yeah!" Ghazan began hurling bursts of lava into the structure.
"You think you can replace us, replace this!" Pli unleashed two successive combustion bursts that nearly tore the building down, all the while more benders from their ranks joined in. Zaheer furiously air bent any incoming debris away from them before eventually halting the attack.
"Stop! We don't want to kill all the scientists. Tarrlock needs to show them the truth."
Korra and the others went still, a lone figure emerging from a tunnel into the moonlight. There he was, just as she remembered him, Tarrlock. The blood bender looked somewhat suspicious as he came out, glancing from place.
"Ready to show these fools what real power looks like!?" Ghazan laughed.
"I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when you blood bend them." Ming Hau smiled sadistically.
Tarrlock, however, looked over the building carefully.
"What's wrong?" Zaheer asked warily.
"We've been deceived. There's no one in this building. They're all around us."
"What?!"
"Attack!" General Iroh emerged from a hiding spot with earth, fire, water, and non-bender soldiers beside him. Tarrlock bent up a massive veil of water that shielded the incoming attacks before Pli blasted Iroh's combustion bending position. He and his men managed to escape the explosion, but now the trap sprung entirely.
Soldiers and police emerged from their hiding places, giving the bender extremists everything they had. Iroh and the bulk of their forces pinned down most of the Red Lotus forces, leaving Tarrlock and his Lieutenants isolated.
"Keep your distance, he'll!" Sergeant Xinyue shouted before crying out in pain. Her body contorted unnaturally along with twelve other soldiers and seven police officers, victims of Tarrlock's blood bending.
Xinyue felt sweat roll down her back as she looked into his eyes.
"Ming Hau." Tarrlock said in a strangely calm tone. The armless water bender licked her teeth, turning the water tentacles into blades.
"Tarrlock!" Korra blasted a bolt of lightning right at the water bender, whose eyes lit up in fear. At least Korra thought so. At the last moment, to her disbelief, he caught her lightning with his right fingers and then sent it back with his left.
"Look out!" Lin shoved them all off their current position, barely avoiding the resulting surge. While the attack didn't work, it did free the soldiers and police. Ghazan didn't give them any breathing room, though, immediately bending streams of lava around while Zaheer used his air bending to enhance the heat.
"No, you don't!" Bolin shook the ground when he landed and halted the lava in its place, Opal backing him up as she bent away Zaheer's burning air.
"So you're the United Forces' lava bender I've heard about." Ghazan and Bolin stared each other down with fierce expressions.
"That's right. Lance Corporal Bolin is here to stop you!"
"Good, now I can kill you myself!" Ghazan unleashed entire waves of lava that Bolin found himself barely able to contain.
"Woah! Look out!" Bolin frantically shouted, feeling the lava's overwhelming hear and pressure push up against him. Despite all his hard work, Ghazan was clearly more proficient than him.
"Hold on, Bolin!" Opal quickly blasted away any bursts of lava that got through Bolin's defenses before they could reach him.
Ming Hau readied herself to impale them both when her watery arms moved aside harmlessly.
"You're not the only one benefitting from a Full Moon!" Kya and Diago emerged from a fire escape. The Lieutenant focused on keeping back Ming Hau's strikes while Kya went on the offensive, driving the Red Lotus elite back. Both savoring the Full Moon's empowering sensation.
Pli aimed her third eye at a nearby squad of soldiers when an arrow came within inches of her forehead. The combustion bender flew backward after her concussive blow hit Asami's arrow first.
She grunted, now bruises and slightly bloodied, while getting up and staring at Asami, ready to murder her.
"Filthy, non-bender, when I'm done, there won't be anything left of you!" Pli inhaled, only for a blast of fire to strike her chest, sending her sprawling backward.
"Give up now, or we're taking in back in a bag!" Mako growled.
Pli furiously tried to destroy Mako, but Asami diligently loosed her arrows directly in front of her bursts, causing them to detonate prematurely. Whenever Pli diverted her attention to Asami, Mako's fire bending forced struck home.
Zaheer attempted to come to Pli's aid, only for a pair of metal whips to ensnare his wrists.
"I don't think so!" Lin yanked Zaheer towards her and maintained a strong stance even after he spun himself around with air bending. Zaheer tried to blast Lin's chest with a typhoon, but Naga rushed in and slammed him to the ground with her paws.
Tarrlock didn't pay much attention to the other fights, instead focusing on Korra as she landed before him and immediately came at him with everything she had.
"Avatar Korra, we meet again." Tarrlock spoke in a surprisingly cordial tone while holding back all of Korra's blows with water bending that even surpassed anything she'd seen from Master Katara.
Korra did her best to remain in control, feeling the moon give her waterbending immense power. Yet, she couldn't hope to overpower Tarrlock. Instead, she'd have to keep him occupied until the eclipse started.
She mixed in bursts of blue fire with her air bending, Tarrlock masterfully keeping them all back with continuous streams of water that danced around him like magnificent serpents, almost as if they were alive.
Korra kept in step with Tarrlock, every few moments feeling him attempt to blood bend her. Luckily her meditations over the last year came to fruition, and she was getting close to unlocking the Avatar State on demand. For now, though, Korra could summon it for a brief moment, allowing herself to break free of Tarrlock's control instantly.
"You are impressive, Korra. Yet once more, I must reiterate you're on the wrong side."
"Really, if I remember right, you ordered your goons to kill me back in the Avatar Aang statue." Korra bent metal beams from the building ruins at Tarrlock, though he quickly sliced them into pieces.
"Korra, you must understand. You entered the Avatar State. I feared for my safety and that of my companions. If we died, our cause would die with us."
"Your cause should die! You're propagating hatred and violence across this city!" Korra roared, unleashed a thunderous inferno of blue fire that Tarrlock barely managed to contain. Despite this, he didn't lose his calm composure.
"Korra, so young, and niave. I didn't start this. The non-benders did. It was always them. They decided they didn't want to live in a world with benders anymore. We frighten them because of what we can do, because of what they wish they could do. You know it, you've seen it."
Korra hesitated for a moment, and Tarrlock's smile grew.
"Yes, deep down, you know the truth. You can help them, fight for them, even die for them, but in the end, they'll still hate you for what you are, and what you are is different."
Korra tightened her first, looking around at Asami, Sergeant Xinyue, and a few other non-bender soldiers.
"You're wrong, Tarrlock. We can live in peace and harmony."
"Ohh Korra, I'll have to show you otherwise." Korra's eyes went wide for a moment as she felt her water bending stiffen. Looking up, the moon began to darken and then disappear completely. The eclipse began.
All waterbending vanished with it. Kya, Diago, Ming Hau, and Tarrlock watched their water slash to the ground.
"What, what's happening! I can't bend!" Ming Hau looked more afraid than when Korra shot lightning at her.
"Ming Hau, look out!" Ghazan tried to turn his lava onto a now defenseless Diago and Kya, only for Lin two snatch them up in her chains and pull them away. Just as Korra commanded, Naga dashed over and beat back two Red Lotus combatants who tried to come at Kya and Diago from behind.
Korra's smile returned, and she now began bending fire, earth, and air at Tarrlock. Unfortunately, much to her annoyance, Tarrlock began to dodge these attacks with surprising proficiency.
"Come on. I won't let you get away!" Korra finally hit Tarrlock with a gust of wind as he jumped up. Gripping the ground itself, she ensnared his feet in stone and embedded him into the pavement.
"Got him! Lin quick, put him in-" Korra grunted after a gust of wind struck her side, catching the Avatar completely off-guard.
"I don't think so, little girl." To Korra's horror, she looked over just in time to see none other than Tahno with the other Wolf Bats, now in Red Lotus attire.
"Tahno!"
"That's right, fighting for my kind now. I'm reborn as something so much more!" Tahno blasted Korra with more air bending, his new abilities catching her entirely by surprise. The other two revealed their restored bending abilities, striking Korra before she could react and hurling her inside a building.
"By by." Pli turned away from Mako and Asami.
"No!" Diago reached out, the world slowing around him. Everything went silent, and an explosion lit up the building interior, consuming it in flames.
All of Team Avatar and their task force gazed at the building in horror.
"Let's go!" Ghazan took Ming Hau in his arms and bent another tunnel for them to escape. Zaheer and Pli helped Tarrlock up as he followed with the Wolf Bats and a few other Red Lotus members.
Diago felt his vision return, and he slowly approached the building.
"Korra!" When he took one step closer, Diago fell to his knees. A charred skeleton resting before him, a skeleton with remnants of water-tribe attire on it.
"No, no." Diago felt his body seize up, Opal covering her mouth and collapsing into Bolin's arms. Though the earth bender barely kept himself up.
"No, no, no, it can't be!" Kya followed Diago's example and broke down near the body, Lin attempting to comfort her but struggled to hold in a flood of tears.
"Korra." Asami wrapped herself around Mako, burying her head in his shoulder as he clenched his eyes shut.
Iroh and members of Diago's platoon went pale, looking at the body.
"Korra, no, no please, no." Iroh braced himself, feeling his heart break into pieces.
Diago opened his mouth, but no words came out. The entire world came apart before him. He gasped for breath, struggling to breathe in as tears streamed down his face. Kya embraced Diago, muttering in lament as she held him and then Lin.
Naga slowly approached the body and sniffed it for a moment before barking angrily. Moments later, the eclipse ended and the moon returned.