If I owned Avatar there would be a third series, an animated movie, and an awesome video game for the series by now. But since I don't, I'm legally required by copyright laws to inform you all that I own nothing but the plotline and OC's. Now with that out of the way; on with the story!

PS: This chapter has been upgraded as of 2022.

2: Gathering Darkness

As team Avatar was celebrating the hard-won balance of the world; that balance unbeknownst to them was already beginning to tip once more.

Deep within the spirit world was a place known as Xai Bau's Grove; a small forested area with yellow-orange skies, and a single red water stream flowing through the tranquil valley. It is here among the trees that a single human could be found meditating.

He appeared to be in his mid-forties with long hair, and a graying beard. The man was dressed in simple brown clothing with no shoes. Upon his wrists, and ankles were thick metal manacles with lengths of chain that seemed to fade out of existence after several links.

All was silent, and peaceful; the only sounds to be heard were the flowing stream, and the breeze blowing gently through the trees. The peacefulness was soon broken however as powerful gust of wind tore violently through the grove.

Opening his eyes, the man beheld a young woman standing before him. "What took you so long?" He asked calmly, noting her now familiar form dressed in light water tribe garb with her hair cut to shoulder length. Unlike the man who appeared normal, the woman was surrounded by an ominous purple aura that matched her eyes.

"I can only enter this world while she slumbers, lest she take note of my reawakening. The girl was up celebrating with her pitiful companions well into the night. I don't think I can stand this much longer." The woman snarled venomously.

"Patience my lord; everything is going according to plan." The man said reassuringly.

"Patience?" The women seethed dangerously, her purple aura flaring wildly as her eyes suddenly shifted to a furious crimson, and the world around them began to warp into a nightmarish reflection of what they once were. "Don't you dare speak to me of patience Zaheer! I have been patient for over ten thousand years!"

"I! Want! Out!" she roared.

Zaheer frowned. "I am well aware my lord, all of the pieces are nearly in place. Now all that is left to be done is to set things in motion."

The woman closed her eyes, and crossed her arms, taking in a deep breath as she reigned in her energy. "You are sure these pawns of yours can accomplish the tasks you've given them?" She asked as she opened her eyes which were once again purple.

"I have no reservations. There is a red lotus member among them, and my master would never entrust such a vital role to anyone he felt was incapable of ensuring success."

"And the woman that you insist be brought into the fold, has she given you an answer yet?"

"Not yet, though I'll be meeting with her after our business is finished here. I'll get her final answer then."

The woman nods. "Very well then. See to it that she joins us. If she's half as competent as you claim she may actually prove useful to me, if not become a valuable asset to your order."

"As you wish my lord." Zaheer said with a bow of his head. "Everything will begin tomorrow. You need to be ready, because this will be your one, and only chance of freedom."

"I'm well aware of that human, just don't forget that this is not only my last chance, but yours as well."

With that the woman disappeared in a flash of purple light. Alone once more Zaheer closed his eyes, and faded away returning to the physical world.

Opening his eyes Zaheer was once again in his prison cell. The chains on his limbs were now connected to the floor ten feet below his levitating form. The massive reinforced steel door sealing him in was still closed tight with white lotus sentries standing guard outside. This entire prison was originally built just to hold him four years ago. It was only recently that the white lotus had modified it to contain a second prisoner.

Closing his eyes once more Zaheer focused his mind, and energy. There was a sudden flash of light as a glowing transparent copy of him appeared. It had taken some time for him to master astral projection, but time was something he'd had an abundance of over the last several years. After a quick glance at his levitating body Zaheer concentrated on, and teleported to the only other cell in the heavily guarded prison.

It was a 12ft-by-12ft box with two-foot-thick walls, ceiling, and floor. The entire cell was made of pure platinum. Not even the most skilled metal benders in the world could so much as scratch it. The cells sole occupant was a dark-haired woman in her mid-twenties. She was dressed in a white tank top, and green sweat pants. As Zaheer appeared before her she was doing push-ups on the cell floor.

"Have you made your decision?" he asked calmly.

Finishing her set, the woman sighed as she slowly rose to her feet, and turned to face him, her steely emerald eyes, and blank expression revealed nothing. "I have" she replied just as calmly.

"And?" he prompted expectantly.

She casually leaned back against the wall of her cell before answering. "And I figure that I have two options. I can stay here, and spend the rest of my life rotting in this hole alone, or I can join you, and your merry band of psychopaths." She said crossing her arms.

"After everything you've done to the Earth Kingdom, Zaofu, and Republic City you would fit right in with my 'merry band of psychopaths' as you so eloquently put it." Zaheer countered with a small smirk.

"The only thing I did to the Earth Kingdom was clean up your mess!" She bit back with a glare, before regaining her composure. "If I say yes; what would you have me do?"

"My order the Red Lotus has set a plan in motion that will change the world forever. Your primary purpose would be to safe guard a key part of that plan." Zaheer explained.

The woman remained silent.

Eyes narrowing at her lack of answer, and time running short Zaheer stood from his meditative position, and floated closer looking the young woman straight in the eyes.

"While your cooperation would contribute greatly to our overall mission, I assure you that you yourself are not crucial to our plan, which unfolds tomorrow with or without you. The world will change forever with, or without you. It's as you said you can join us, or stay here and rot, alone, and forgotten. It's your choice, and it needs to be made now."

Emerald eyes narrowing at the not-so-subtle threat. "If I say yes, how do you intend to ensure my cooperation? Once you let me out of here what's to stop me from walking away, or trying to stop you myself? Even with my less than stellar track record, I hardly seem like the kind of person a cabal of anarchists would try to make friends with."

"My order hasn't remained hidden by being foolish. We are well aware of the potential threat you could pose, and that's why your usefulness to my order is not dependent on your cooperation." Zaheer answered smoothly. "As for you trying to stop us, I assure you if there was even the slightest possibility you could thwart what is to come; we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

Scowling as she pondered the air benders offer for a few moments; the woman closed her eyes, and sighed. "Very well I'm in."

"A wise decision. Welcome to the red lotus Great Uniter." Zaheer said with a smirk.

"Don't ever call me that!" the woman snapped, her fist striking a cell wall with a metallic bang. After a moment she spoke again this time with steel in her voice. "I'm not the Great Uniter anymore. She's someone I never should have been. I'm just Kuvira."

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