"So, after waging wars on other countries, that's how you're going to abuse your bendings now?" Amon, or Noatak to be accurate, spoke with an accusing tone, "killing spirits?"
"You are playing with fire, bloodbender," Korra narrowed her eyes, "this is the exact same spirit that will rip off your face and rob your identity."
"Exactly," The bloodbender replied, "the great spirit has the power to take people's identity along with their faces. People without their faces lose their ability to speak and, along with their identity." He lifted a corner of his mouth, "what a fitting punishment for your crimes, Avatar."
The giant centipedes surrounded its form to the former leader of the Equalists, then, Koh The Face Stealer morphed himself into a beam of black energy, entering Noatak's body through his head. A white mask with red circles painted around the eyes covered the bloodbender's face, it resembles one of Koh's faces.
"Now I'm truly blessed by the spirits as I used to claim. I will never have to perform the sick art of manipulating other's bodies ever again," apparently he didn't enjoy bloodbending. Noatak's voice changed drastically as Koh now was possessing his body; it was much deeper than a human would normally sound, along with the echoes. His mask switched to the face of a wolf as he continued, "I used to think bending is the root cause of all destruction in the world, until I realize individuality is the true source of all inequality, without which no one will be treated better than anyone else."
Noatak charged at the avatar with his bare hands, his figure approaching at an inhuman pace. Korra was not going to wait and see what might happen when these hands touch her body. The avatar produced a wall of fire, but the half spirit didn't slow down, instead, he faced the inferno head on, and came out from the other side completely intact.
Korra startled as she saw her opponent being immune to the flames. She bends liquid in the swamp, producing a water vortex that carried her away. Noatak didn't slow down. Seeing the half-spirit closing in the distance, the avatar rotated her arms and generated a small tornado. Korra didn't expect it will deal any significant damage to her opponent, for she suspected that Noatak was now somehow immune to elemental attacks after fusing with Koh. Her goal was to slow him down and to make a retreat. She could figure out a way to defeat him after she leave the Spirit World.
The method was proven to be effective, as Noatak struggling to move his way through the hurricane. Within minutes, the avatar was out of the sight of her opponent.
As soon as Korra's boots touched solid ground, she started to sprint while propelling herself with jets of fire. She could've use earthbending, but that would leave trails on the ground that enables her enemy to trace her route. When she left the forest, she ran through Jinora's spirit, who had obviously meditated into the spirit world. Even with the facing covering on, the airbender still recognized the Korra from her iconic wolf-tail and ocean blue eyes.
Jinora followed suit, it was more than unusual to see the often calm and collected avatar losing her composure completely, "What happened?" she asked.
"Koh The Face Stealer fused with a bloodbender!" the Avatar didn't stop running, "he wants to…" she has been sprinting for so long that she was almost out of breath, "take all our faces away… create a world without identity!"
…
Time seems to pass quite differently in the realm of The Face Stealer. When Korra exited the spirit portal and arrived at the Southern Water Tribe, two weeks had passed since her departure to the South Pole. More people had lost their faces in the Southern Water Tribe, so far, a little bit over two hundred people had their faces stole by Noatak. Was it possible for spirits to maneuver between the two worlds without using a portal, even if they fused with a human? None of these makes any sense, the Avatar thought: she knew herself was fused with Raava the avatar spirit, but apparently she still needs to travel to the Spirit World through a portal.
As if the situation was not devastating enough, Korra learnt from the news that during the times she was away, the Earth Republic had retaken Omashu, built a navy fleet and drove the United Forces all the way back to the border. What could possibly be worse that that? Well, it was written in the title of today's newspapers, Suyin the Great Uniter had established an ultimatum for the Republic City to surrender. Apparently, they didn't accept President Asami's offer for a peace treaty. And Korra knew exactly why: they want to see her, the Avatar.
Without a word, she rushed out of the igloo, melting the snow in front of her into water, and solidified it into a board of ice. The avatar hopped onto her makeshift snow sledge, bending the snow on the ground, carrying her forward at an astounding speed. Korra didn't halt when she reached the coastline. Using her momentum, she launched herself straight into the sea.
Splash! The ice was broken into pieces as it landed onto the surface of the water. However, the Avatar quickly reassembled the ice into a makeshift surfboard, then, bending the waves, she pushed the vessel forward, heading towards the north.
Korra travelled on the water for hours until she saw Republic City's coastline in the horizon. As she approached Yue Bay, the Avatar encountered a fleet of destroyers. The ships were painted with the symbols of the element of Earth.
A naval blockade… Korra thought, her eyes on stalks. Republic City was under siege!
...
"The Avatar is here!" Commander Guan radioed the Great Uniter as soon as he saw the young woman with his telescope.
"Tell her to surrender immediately!" Suyin's voice came out of the Motorola, "or we will start our attack on Republic City."
"Yes ma'am." Replied the naval Commander. "Let's fire a couple of warming shots." Guan gave his order.
The flagship fired one of its cannons, the explosives landed merely a couple of meters away from the Avatar. The water splattered; the waves knocked Korra off of her footing. However, she didn't stop the advance, as she switched to gliding on the water, closing in the distance with staggering velocity.
"Stop your advance and surrender immediately!" Korra heard the commander broadcasting through the ship's radio station, "or we will start the attack on Republic City."
(Notes: Guan is the rouge Earth Empire commander in comics Ruins of The Empire in the original timeline, and in this timeline he is appointed as naval commander by Suyin.)