Wow so many amazing reviews. I am so glad you guys like my story so far, and there is no need to worry. I plan to see this story to the end, and trust me this story has barely even begun. Just a heads up I plan for theses next several chapters to be major turning points. that means no more early random updates, or multiple chapter posts for a little while. So any way the usual disclaimer: I own nothing but OC's and plot. now enjoy.

9: Words

"You're wrong!" Mako yelled again as he lunged at Vaatu. Once again the heavy chains held firm. Vaatu just shook his head pityingly.

"You can only lie to yourself for so long Mako. Sooner or later you'll get tangled in a web of your own making, and by the look of things later is now." Vaatu plucked at the chains again to emphasize his point.

"Now you have two options Mako. On the one hand you can stay here chained on your knees waiting for our executioner to arrive. On the other you can listen to me, and be free of these bonds you have forged for yourself."

Mako glared silently at the spirit of chaos wearing his childhood form. There was no way that his friends, and family would turn on him. Korra wouldn't even consider that an option. However if he had any chance of getting out of here at all, it would be by listening to what Vaatu had to say. Considering the last set of options he'd been given these choices were at least better, if only by a small margin. Finally Mako conceded.

"What do you have to say?"

At his answer Vaatu stood, and began to circle him. Everything was silent except for the sound of Vaatu's footsteps in the snow. A cold wind blew through the empty city. The sounds of thunder could still be heard in the distance.

"I am going to ask you two questions before we begin, and after we are done." Vaatu said as he continued circling. His glowing red eyes never once left Mako, and he glared right back in turn.

"Who and what are you?" Vaatu asked as he finally came to a stop in front of Mako.

Mako frowned at the simple question, but answered none the less. "I am Mako, detective of republic city."

Vaatu's eyes narrowed at his answer. "So you say. Since these are your bonds, you can pick which one goes first."

Mako strained against his chains for a moment. "The ones around my waist" he said.

"Very well your bond to republic city goes first. Why do you subject yourself to that place?"

"Republic city is my home" Mako said with conviction.

"Not anymore it's not, and even before all this it wasn't truly your home."

"What do you mean?" Mako asked.

"You've spent the majority of your life trying to survive in a place that cares nothing for you. After everything that place took from you, everything you've given; it still demands more from you."

"You know nothing of my life." Mako retorted.

"On the contrary I know everything. I'm aware of every test, and trial. I've felt your every loss, and sacrifice." Vaatu suddenly reached out, and grabbed the chain connecting Mako to the ground.

The moment he made contact everything for Mako seemed to explode. Memories of his life on the streets suddenly flashed before his eyes, and with them came the same emotions he felt when they were made.

"This place you call home has caused you nothing but pain, and grief. You were only eight years old when your parents were cut down right before your eyes. You and your little brother were orphaned, and cast out into the streets to fend for yourselves."

As Vaatu spoke Mako saw and re experienced everything. He watched as his parents fell lifeless to the street. He heard the laughter of the monster responsible hidden in the shadows. He held Bolin close as he cried, because he was hungry, and scared. People had just walked by them like they were nothing. Mako felt all the anger, fear, envy, despair, and hopelessness he had as a child. Every last emotion he had buried deeply in order to survive, and protect Bolin.

As all these memories and emotions threatened to overwhelm him, Mako could still hear Vaatu talking. "So many people, and yet they all had one thing in common. They all could care less about two orphans left out in the winter's cold embrace." Vaatu said.

"Stop it" Mako said shakily as all his old rage returned, and grew. Rage at the city that seemed to breed the kind of scum that took his parents. Rage at the indifferent people living there who barely glanced at him as he fought everyday to make sure that he, and his brother saw tomorrow.

"Why should I stop Mako? They didn't stop ignoring you for ten years until you threw yourself in to a ring for their amusement."

Memories of him standing before hundreds of spectators at the probending arena flashed before him. With those memories came the feelings of pride, accomplishment, and acceptance.

"And even that didn't last for long." Vaatu continued.

New memories appeared. The crowds booing as he was knocked out of the ring, and into the water. The old feelings of shame, humiliation, and anger flared to life.

"It didn't matter to them how far you went, or how hard you tried. The second you fell their attention moved elsewhere. They didn't even give you a second thought until their selfish little worlds began to fall down, and you stepped up, and helped save them."

Now Mako witnessed visions of Amon's equalist rebellion, and himself taking on the triads with the police.

"Every time this city, these people needed you; you came running like a lowly dog hoping to get some attention from a neglectful master."

"Shut up" Mako said again through gritted teeth.

He wanted to ignore the dark spirits words. Just dismiss them all as lies, but he couldn't. These were all his memories, his experiences, and his emotions. Deep down Mako knew Vaatu wasn't lying, because only hard facts and truths could cause this kind of pain he felt twisting in his chest.

"You've fought for them, protected them, you would have even given your life for them. The saddest part though is that they are just fine with that. As long as their world keeps turning; what is one more dead hero to them."

As Vaatu spoke Mako's anger grew. "Korra got a whole park named in her honor. Maybe if you try even harder they will name a whole street after you."

With each word the world around them seemed to grow colder, and colder. All the while the chain in Vaatu's grip grew hotter and hotter until the links were glowing hot.

"Look at me Mako."

Mako kept his eyes shut tightly in anger.

"Look at me!" Vaatu demanded louder.

Mako lifted his head, and amber eyes met crimson.

"This place you call home has taken from you, ignored you, used you, and now that you are a threat end you if you let them. This is your soul you cannot lie to yourself here. No matter how much you want it to be otherwise you know my words are true. Now tell me why you are bound to this place?"

Mako just glared silently at Vaatu, his amber eyes narrowed. He took in a deep breath through his nose, and exhaled it slowly as a breath of fire.

"I'm not" Mako said coldly.

The glowing chains wrapped around his waist suddenly shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces as if the glowing hot links were finally exposed to the freezing air swirling around them. For the first time in what felt like forever Mako shakily stood up straight. The rest of his limbs were still bound tightly, but now he could face Vaatu like a man.

"Very good" Vaatu said with a smile.

His form suddenly took on a purple glow as his body shifted, and grew until it was Korra standing before him. Vaatu looked exactly as Korra did when Mako first saw her after her three years of recovery, aside from the purple glow, and the red eyes of course.

"One down, six to go" Vaatu said with Korra's voice.

"What do you mean by he's free?"

It was nine thirty in the evening as president Raiko looked at the large group of people gathered in his office. There was Korra, Tenzin, Asami, chief Beifong, Bolin, Opal, Kai, and Jinora.

"I mean exactly what I said Raiko; Vaatu is free." Korra said to the president's question.

Aside from Korra, Asami, Kai, and Jinora everyone was shocked at the news. Raiko was the first to recover his wits. "How do you know he's out, and if he is then where is he?"

Korra looked over to Jinora, and nodded her over. The young air bender stepped forward, and began to explain.

"I know he is free, because I've felt his presence somewhere it shouldn't be."

"How were you able to do this?" Raiko asked.

"Jinora has a very powerful connection to the spirit world. As far as we know it's only surpassed by Korra's" Tenzin answered in his daughter's stead.

"When Vaatu first destroyed Raava I was able to sense, and find her inside him. After harmonic convergence I checked Korra, and found Vaatu trapped deep within her. When I sensed Vaatu earlier today I checked Korra again, and he's not there anymore." Jinora explained.

"How could he have escaped without Korra noticing?" Lin asked.

Jinora just shook her head. "I don't know. By all rights he should have been trapped for 10,000 years before re emerging."

"I don't care how that thing got out. I want to know where he is, and how we are going to deal with him." Raiko said.

"Don't worry sir" Kai said trying to put everyone at ease. "Korra kicked Vaatu's dark spirit ass into oblivion once. I'm sure that she can do it again, right Jinora?"

Jinora just stared at her feet as everyone looked to her for an answer.

"Jinora where is Vaatu?" Bolin asked wanting to return to his brothers side as soon as possible.

Sad grey eyes met innocent green. "Vaatu has merged with Mako" Jinora said as she turned away in shame.

The room was silent for five seconds before erupting into total chaos. After two minutes of everyone trying to talk over each other at the same time; a loud shrill whistle split the air. Everyone went silent, and turned to the whistles source Lin.

"Somebody had better start explaining right now, and only one at a time." She said with steel in her voice.

"What do you mean he's merged with Mako? How is that even possible?" Bolin asked first.

"It's not possible" Tenzin said. "A human and a spirit cannot merge without the energy of harmonic convergence."

"Oh spirits no!" Korra exclaimed as she collapsed into an empty chair. Her eyes were wide with realization.

"What is it Korra?" Asami asked worriedly as she came to Korra's side.

"The core" She whispered.

"What is it Korra speak up" Lin said.

Korra gave a deep sigh, and explained. "It was the spirit vine energy core. When it was about to blow Mako tried to drain the energy with his lightning bending. When I arrived it was working, but all that power was tearing him apart. To save him I used my energy bending on him. For a brief moment our souls were merged, and I allowed all that spirit energy to flow through him. That must have been when Vaatu escaped, and if all that spirit energy can tear open new spirit portals; it would make sense it could do an imitation of harmonic convergence too."

Everyone was once again rendered silent. Bolin looked completely devastated by the explanation. Before Bolin could say anything, Raiko spoke up.

"So you are telling me detective Mako is now the new Dark Avatar."

Korra nodded sadly.

"And the boy is currently in the hospital?" Raiko asked calmly.

"Yes, he's in a coma right now sir." Opal said as she held onto Bolin.

"Then there is still time to prevent things from getting any worse." Raiko said with a nod.

"What exactly do you mean by that mister president?' Asami asked.

"I mean we can stop the Dark Avatar before he can lay waste to republic city again."

"And how would we do that?" Lin asked.

"For now that's the easy part. We kill him."

Oh boy things are getting serious now. Please leave a comment, or review. PS: the title (Words) is a reference to the song words as weapons by Seether, which was one of my inspiration sources for this, and the next few chapters. if you want to give it a listen, and tell me if you think I fits. until next time.