Chapter thirteen is here, and all hell is about to break loose. before it does though I want to thank everyone for reading, following, commenting, and reviewing. Hearing what you guys think, or have to say is what makes writing stories like this fun. Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, and OC's.
13: Not Gonna Die
Tears fell down Korra's cheeks as she watched her light slowly consume Mako. The light spread over his body the beeping of the heart rate monitor grew faster, and faster. As she purified them Korra's mind was flooded with questions. Why does Mako have to die? There must be something we can do. How could I have let this happen? What could I have done differently?
("There is nothing we can do Korra.") Raava's voice cut through Korra's scattered thoughts.
("As unbelievable as it is Vaatu wasn't lying. There is no possible way to separate them without killing Mako.")
"There had to have been some way we could have stopped this; stopped Vaatu from possessing Mako." Korra said her voice raw from holding back the sorrow threatening to consume her.
("I have gone over the memories of how this came to pass over, and over again Korra. The only way we wouldn't be killing Mako now is if you'd let him die in the spirit core chamber at future industries.")
The memory flashed before Korra's glowing blue eyes. Entering the room to find Asami unconscious and purple lighting lashing out all over the chamber; Mako sacrificing himself to drain the spirit energy, and save hundreds of innocent lives. If he hadn't done that it would have been too late for her to keep the core from going critical. Why had Asami built that spirits Damned thing? Why had she hidden it from her?
Korra was shaken from her thoughts as the rapid beeping of the heart monitor became one long continuous beep. Her purifying light had finally consumed him. Korra slowly pulled her hands away, and stepped back. Everything was still as she looked at Mako's still form; his chest no longer rising, and falling. The white light that covered him seemed to slowly fade into his body.
As Korra's own glow faded she turned, and walked over to the nearest wall. With tears falling freely and a mournful cry she slammed a fist as hard as she could into the stone wall.
"Damnit" Korra cried as drew back, and threw her other fist.
"Damn, damn, damn, damnit all to hell!" She yelled as she slammed her fists again, and again.
She unleashed all her pain, anger, and guilt on the wall until the stone cracked, and her knuckles bled. Finally she sank to the floor, and wept; the pain in her hands nothing compared to the pain in her heart.
("As the Avatar it is our duty to protect this world, and maintain balance. To do that we can never allow Vaatu to be free; no matter how painful the cost may be.")
"Tell that to Bolin" Korra sobbed. "Amon, Tarrlok, Zaheer, P'Li, Gahzan, Ming Hua, Kuvira; I have faced so many enemies, and yet the first life I truly take is Mako's. What kind of twisted cosmic joke is that?" Korra said with a pained laugh. She didn't really consider herself responsible for her uncle's demise. In the end there was nothing left of Unalaq to be saved.
("Fate is often cruel Korra. As painful as the choice may be we cannot choose one life over the world; no matter how much we care for that one.")
"Don't try to rationalize it for me Raava; just let me mourn." Korra said as she sank to the floor, and closed her eyes. Granting her request Raava remained silent. For several moments Korra just sat there crying, and listening to the steady rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor.
With a gasp Korra realized what she was hearing. She suddenly looked up to see Mako standing next to the bed. Korra watched in disbelief as he carefully removed the IV's, tubes, and other equipment the doctors had put on him.
"My life is mine to give Korra" Mako said in a deeper darker voice that was so horrifyingly familiar. Fire burst to life in his hands as he turned to glare at her with glowing crimson eyes. "Not yours to take."
"Jinora look out!" Kai exclaimed as he knocked his girlfriend to the ground. As they hit the pavement a trashed satomobile flew over them, and crashed into a building.
"This isn't going much better than last time" Bolin called out as he, and Lin hurled chunks of stone at the large dark spirit. "Where the hell is Unalaq when you need him?"
The flame faced spirit suddenly grabbed another vehicle, and launched it at the earth benders. Before the projectile could connect; Bolin and Lin were knocked out of the way by a large gust of wind.
"You know Unalaq was probably the one who corrupted this spirit the first time right?" Tenzin asked as he landed by their sides.
Bolin shook his head, and looked up at the air bending master. "Yeah, but at least he cleaned up his own mess."
Despite the spirits large size it was incredibly fast. It took everything the air nomads had just to avoid its attacks, and none of their own was doing any real damage. Every time Bolin or chief Beifong tied to hit it with something big enough to hurt, it would either dodge, or counter attack. No matter what they did the spirit wouldn't allow them to get into the hospital. If they wanted in they'd have to go through it.
"This isn't working" Opal said as she helped her aunt to her feet. "We can be fast, or we can be strong, but we need to be both to beat this thing."
"Opal's right" Lin said in agreement.
"Well I'm open for suggestions." Kai said as he, and Jinora rejoined the group.
The dark spirit was standing in the middle of the road; placed firmly between them and the hospital. It watched them closely with glowing yellow eyes just waiting for their next move.
"What we need is something really fast that hits really hard." Bolin said.
Suddenly the squealing of tires filed the air. The entire group turned to see a satomobile slam into the dark spirit, and ram it into the side of a building.
"That will work" Bolin deadpanned as he, and the others ran over to the vehicle.
As they approached the door opened, and Asami stepped out shakily.
"Well done Ms. Sato; remind me to revoke your license after this." Lin said as she looked from the heiress to the dark spirit pinned between the vehicle, and a brick wall. While the blow hadn't been enough to dissipate the spirit; it was enough to knock it senseless.
"Are you alright Asami?" Opal asked as she put a hand on the CEO's shoulder to help steady her.
"Yes I'm fine; where is Korra?" Asami asked as she regained composure
"She's in the hospital. We should get in there before something worse than fire face shows up." Bolin said as he began leading them towards the front doors.
"Oh come on Bolin; what could possibly be worse than fire face?"
The moment those words left Kai's mouth a large explosion went off on the second floor of the hospital.
"Korra!" "Mako!" Bolin and Asami yelled as a huge hole was blown out of one of the rooms.
As debris fell everywhere and smoke billowed into the dark cloudy sky a single form was launched from the blazing room, and crashed into the street in front of the group. A quick blast of air from Jinora dispersed the smoke to reveal Korra. Her clothing was scorched in places, and her hair was singed slightly, but otherwise she appeared to be okay.
Asami ran over, and knelt before the Avatar, closely followed by Bolin.
"Korra are you okay, what happened, where is Mako?" Bolin asked desperately as the others stood behind them, and watched the blaze.
After a moment her coughing subsided. Korra looked up at Mako's younger brother with ash, and tears streaking her face. "I'm sorry Bolin; I failed."
Before he could ask any more questions the fire in the hospital room went out leaving only smoke to billow out of the building. Then a second form launched itself from the opening, and landed in a crouch ten feet from the group.
They all stared in shock as Mako slowly stood before them. He was dressed only in a pair of black pants leaving his scarred left arm and chest to stand out in sharp contrast to his pale skin. His hair was spiky and unkempt once again, and his eyes glowed red as he watched them all with cold fury. Tension filled the air as he glanced from one person to the next; looking everyone in the eye as if reading them like an open book.
After a moment of silence he looked up to the darkened cloudy skies, and took a deep cleansing breath. "It truly has been far too long." The fire bender stated in a darker voice not his own.
"Mako" Bolin said uneasily as he began to move forward only to be held back by Lin.
Crimson eyes locked with green. "Yeah Bo it's me, more, or less anyway." Vaatu said with a smile that made Jinora's blood run cold.
"Alright Mako I want you to take it easy. We are here to help you." Lin said calmingly as she stepped to the front of the group.
Vaatu's eyes narrowed. "I don't think so chief. Korra already tried 'helping' me. We aren't interested in anymore of your kind of help." Vaatu said as he turned his glare to Korra as Asami helped her up.
The screeching sound of twisting metal suddenly filled the air. Everyone turned to see fire face awake and ripping Asami's satomobile in half. Finally free the dark spirit turned, and glared hatefully at the heiress. Fire face began to stalk aggressively towards to group, but Vaatu quickly stepped between them.
Crimson eyes locked with yellow as he glared up at the dark spirit. After a moment the group watched stunned as the dark spirit backed down like a scolded pup.
"If you want to help me I suggest you stay out of my way." Vaatu said turning back to the others.
Before anyone could reply the sound of rotors filled the air. Vaatu looked up only to quickly shield his eyes as a large spot light was shown down on him.
"What the hell" Lin yelled as everyone looked up to see an armed forces airship hovering above them.
"Detective Mako this is general Iroh speaking. You are to surrender immediately; we have been authorized to use lethal force if you do not comply."
Everyone turned to see Iroh, and roughly twenty soldiers positioned along the roof tops overlooking the street in front of the hospital.
Lin looked up at the fire nation prince with a glare. "You and your men stand down Iroh. We have this under control."
From his position above them Iroh looked from Lin to Mako to the large dark spirit crouched behind him. "Even if I believed that you actually had things under control Beifong; my orders came from higher up."
"You have thirty seconds to comply Mako" Iroh called out as he turned back to Mako.
Lin turned back to the new Dark Avatar, but froze before she could utter a word. Mako, Vaatu, or whoever the hell she was dealing with wore a wolf-batish grin that sent a chill up even her spine.
Vaatu looked slowly across the rooftops at the soldiers before locking eyes with the general. "General Iroh longtime no see. You know what I'm actually glad you and your little team here showed up."
"Oh and why exactly is that?" Iroh called back after a moment of surprise.
"The last few days have been rather trying, and in case you haven't noticed things are a little tense at the moment. I could use a good laugh right about now." Vaatu called out mockingly.
Iroh frowned as Korra, and the others looked on in shock at his audacity.
"I have twenty master level fire, earth, and water benders at my back, and your time is up Mako. What are you going to do?" Iroh said as he and the men and women on either side of him assumed bending stances.
While all the soldiers wore the standard uniform each one wore a colored arm band designating what element they commanded. Five of them wore green, five wore blue, and ten wore red.
"I'll tell you exactly what I'm going to do general. I'm going to stand here in this nice little spotlight, and I'm going to take your best shot. After that I will proceed to wipe the floor with you again." Vaatu called out smiling all the while.
Iroh's scowl deepened. "If that's what you want; fire benders maneuver 48 Blitz Strike!"
At his command both Iroh, and the fire benders with him began moving their arms in fluid motions gathering energy for a blast of lightning each.
"No!" Bolin yelled as he tried to get to his brother only to be held back by Opal, and Kai.
As large arcs of electricity began to gather began to gather around Iroh, and his soldiers; the large yellow eyed spirit took several steps back leaving Vaatu standing alone in the street with his arms at his sides, and a smirk on his lips.
"On my mark" Iroh yelled.
Vaatu widened his stance, and drew his right arm across his body with index, and middle finger extended.
Korra's eyes widened in horror as she realized what was about to happen. "No Iroh Don't"
"Fire!" Iroh yelled as Korra's warning came too late.
As one eleven different bolts of lightning flew through the air quickly converging on one spot. What happened next was done in seconds, and yet it seemed to unfold in slow motion. Right as the lightning was about to strike Vaatu he slashed his right arm through the air in front of him with electricity of his own gathered around his hand. The soldiers lightning connected with, and followed after Vaatu's own lightning as he began going through lightning generation movements of his own.
Everyone watched in complete shock as he took command of eleven different bolts of lightning, and began building up the already considerable energy even more. Massive arcs of electricity danced around him until he finally came to a stop. With arm, index, and pointer finger held straight Vaatu aimed directly at Iroh.
The soldiers closest to the general ducked, or leapt to the side before the dark avatar could release the lightning. Crimson eyes locked with fearful amber. Vaatu grinned, adjusted his aim slightly and released the lightning.
Everyone watched in horror as the massive lightning bolt shot through the air, and struck the rear propellers of the airship hovering above them. The metal turbines exploded, and the airship began to fall.
"Korra you have to do something, we can handle things here." Tenzin said as he looked from the descending airship to the dark avatar.
Korra began to move to go help, but stopped short as Vaatu's crimson eyes locked with hers. "Run along Korra I'll catch up with you soon enough." He said coldly as he looked back to the others.
As Korra took off into the sky Vaatu looked up to see Iroh, and his soldiers looking from him to the crashing airship in stunned silence.
"Is that all you got Iroh?" Vaatu called out.
"Detective you need to stop this right now, and stand down." Lin commanded as she stepped forward.
Vaatu quickly met her glare with one of his own. "Three things 'Chief' I am not you detective anymore. Two I am done taking orders from anyone, and three I'm just getting started."
As he spoke fire face stepped up beside him, and dozens of minor dark spirits began to flash into existence behind him. Earth benders, air benders, and soldiers watched warily as the spirits gathered behind Vaatu waiting for his command.
Vaatu's red eyes flared with power. "Subdue the humans. Let chaos reign, but Korra is mine." Vaatu said darkly as the spirits attacked.
The airship was descending rapidly towards Republic city. With no time to lose Korra entered the avatar state, and surrounded herself with a sphere of air to enable flight. As powerful as she was she couldn't stop several hundred tons of metal from crashing. What she could do however was choose where it landed.
Summoning up a massive air current Korra slammed into the side of the airship. She wouldn't be able to move it far, but luckily the park was close by. Focusing everything she had Korra managed to push the airship so it would crash in Avatar Korra Park.
As the airship impacted dirt and debris flew everywhere. Metal twisted, and screeched as the ship tore a massive trench before coming to a smoking stop.
Korra leapt back from the wreck with a gust of air, and watched as the crew evacuated the airship.
"Impressive, and here I was half expecting you to let them die."
Korra whipped around only to be met by a massive blast of fire. On instinct she raised an earth wall, but the blast shattered it, and knocked her to the ground. Korra quickly rolled to the side avoiding another blast, and leapt to her feet. Ten feet away from her stood the dark avatar with flames in hand, and eyes glowing crimson.
"Mako stop you have to fight this!" Korra yelled as she took up a bending stance.
"Too little too late" Vaatu yelled as he began to circle her like a hungry shark-squid.
Korra watched his movements closely. She locked eyes with him, and noticed his eyes seemed to be flickering from amber to crimson.
"I trusted you; I believed in you, I loved you!" Mako roared as his eyes flashed amber.
With another roar his eyes shifted back to crimson, and he launched three blasts of fire, one after the other.
Korra rolled to the side as the first blast flew by, and struck a tree behind her. The blast shattered the trunk, and set the whole tree ablaze. The next she dispersed with a powerful gust of air. She met the third with another stone wall only to be knocked back once again as the barrier exploded. Korra rolled back with the momentum onto her feet, and released a large gust of wind; pushing Vaatu back several feet.
"I tried Mako there was nothing I could do." Korra said with both sorrow, and fear in her eyes. For as long as she'd known Mako he'd always fought using his cool under fire approach. Now he was fighting like a berserker, like a beast, like a monster.
Mako's eyes flickered back to amber. "No Korra you could have done something. You could have believed in me as I did you. You could have stood by my side till the bitter end, but instead you turned your back on me. You gave up on me. You tried to kill me!"
With another roar of anger amber became crimson as Vaatu regained control. He threw another blast, closely followed by a wave of fire.
Korra barely dodged the blast. As the wave of fire approached she unleashed a powerful fire blast of her own into the center of Vaatu's wave. Her flames canceled out where they met Vaatu's, and the rest washed over everything behind her setting more trees ablaze.
"I didn't want to Mako" Korra cried out with tears in her eyes. "I couldn't take the chance of Vaatu getting loose. You know what he's capable of."
"Funny up until now he thought he knew what you were capable of too." Vaatu said as he launched himself through the air with jets of fire from his feet.
As he tackled her to the ground his eyes flickered to Amber again. "The Korra I fell in love with would never give up on anyone. Vaatu was right she is dead."
His eyes regained their red glow as he raised his right arm flames in hand. "And now you're going to join her!"
Before he could strike Korra bent a pillar of earth over her head into Vaatu's chest knocking him back. She then got to her feet, and took off towards the pond.
"Coward face me!" Vaatu roared as he launched a double fisted fire blast.
Korra spun around drawing a large current of water with her. Fire and water clashed in an explosion of steam. With Vaatu's line of sight obscured Korra took it as here chance to go on offense. She began to rapidly launch chunks of stone, and streams of water.
Korra's strikes were quick, powerful, and random. However where she was physically stronger Mako had always been faster. Most of her strikes were dodged with apparent ease. Vaatu began slowly making his way closer. Anything he couldn't avoid was overcome with a strong fire blast. Mako had always been a powerful fire bender, but between Vaatu augmenting his abilities, all the anger he was drawing on his power was rapidly approaching Sozin's comet levels.
As the steam finally cleared Vaatu, and Korra began approaching each other. With every step they launched an elemental attack. One step, and fire shattered stone. Another step fire evaporated water. Another step, and fire consumed air. As they came face to face crimson eyes met tearful, but determined blue. As one the both drew back and unleashed to massive blasts of fire at point blank range.
The resulting explosion launched Korra over twenty feet back. As she slowly got to her feet Korra turned to see Vaatu appear out of the smoke slightly singed, and extremely pissed off.
"I'm getting bored Korra; why don't you let Raava come out so we can have some real fun." Vaatu said as he released another massive blast of fire.
With no time to dodge Korra covered herself in a sphere of stone. Vaatu's eyes narrowed as his strike connected, but the stone held firm. With a roar of fury he approached the stone shell, and unleashed all his wrath into a continuous stream of fire.
The closer Vaatu came the hotter the flames became. The stone shell began to glow as his frustration grew, and the heat intensified.
"What's the matter can't kill someone unless their sleeping? Damn you Korra! Damn you Raava! FACE ME!" Vaatu roared as he reigned down a hammer blow.
In an explosion of fire, smoke, and dust the dome shattered. Slowly the smoke cleared to reveal nothing but a hole.
"Where are you!" Vaatu roared as he unleashed a massive breath of fire into the air.
"I'm right here Vaatu."
The Dark Avatar whirled around to see the white glowing eyes of Korra in the avatar state. Smoke, and fire surrounded them as the park burned. At some point during their fight the statue of Korra had been shattered by a stray fire blast. Vaatu stood straight as glowing crimson eyes met glowing white.
"This ends here, and now Vaatu" Korra said; her voice mixed with Raava's.
"On the contrary Raava this is where my story finally begins." Vaatu responded with a grin.
With no further words Korra surrounded herself in a sphere of wind, and lifted into the air. Six large chunks of earth were drawn to her. As they began to orbit around her horizontally the earth was compressed into solid stone. The stones were soon joined by streams of fire, and water each circling in opposite diagonal directions.
Vaatu just smirked as he launched into the air with jets of fire.
"Catch me if you can Raava." Vaatu called back as he flew upwards into the city with Korra quickly following suit.
Vaatu flew swiftly over the city. He flew over, or around buildings, and seemed to be moving randomly. No matter where he went though Korra followed close behind. Periodically he would turn back and launch a powerful fire blast. Korra didn't even bother dodging the attacks. She easily countered each blast with the water, stones, or fire surrounding her.
As the chase progressed Vaatu flew higher, and higher. The wind was blowing stronger, and thunder rolled through the storm clouds gathered above republic city. Korra came to a halt as Vaatu suddenly stopped, and hovered just below the cloud cover.
"What do you think Raava" Vaatu called out. "Just below us is Future Industries headquarters; the birth place of the Dark Avatar. I can't think of a better place for the Avatar to die."
Fire burst to life in Vaatu's hands growing larger, and hotter by the second. Korra rose higher until she was level with him.
"I'm sorry it had to end like this Mako" Korra called out over the wind as tears fell from her glowing eyes.
"We're not" Vaatu answered back with a blank face. "For the first time in so long we are free. On the off chance we do die here however; well at least we'll go down fighting. Freedom, and a fighting chance; two things you have denied us."
Silence once again fell between them. Both of them just hovering there waiting. Two Avatars one born of light and order, and the other born of darkness and chaos. Then as thunder shook the sky they unleashed everything they had.
Korra lashed out with a swirling vortex of water, earth, fire, and air. Vaatu in turn unleashed all his anger and hatred in the form of an overwhelming blast of fire. The two attacks clashed between them creating a massive shockwave.
The explosion knocked Korra down forty feet bringing her even with the top of the future industries building. Korra looked up quickly, and scanned the sky for Vaatu. When their attacks collided she lost track of him in the smoke, and steam.
As she searched franticly a voice drifted over the wind surrounding her. "You shouldn't have turned your back on me Korra."
Korra's eyes widened as a bolt of lightning struck her in the middle of her back. Pain exploded throughout her body as the electricity quickly overwhelmed her. Her body went limp, and the sphere of air keeping her aloft dissipated.
The last thing Korra saw as the darkness overcame her wasn't Vaatu's hateful crimson eyes, but the cold glare of Amber as she plummeted towards the ground.
Oh yeah the Dark Avatar is finally awake, and I can finally have some real fun. The title, and inspiration for this chapter comes from the song (Not Gonna Die) by Skillet. Feel free to give it a listen and tell me what you think. Now as always feel free to coment, review, or constructively criticize. it all inspires me to write more chapters faster. Now sadly I must leave you with this evil cliff hanger, so stay tuned for chapter 14.