AN: Hello my fellow readers.
First of all, I wanted to say thank you for all your support :)
I appreciate it very much!
When I posted chapter 4 of Slavery today, I received a review with several comments about how disappointing the latest chapter was.
He/she gave me several pointer of why and when I re read the chapter, I though he was right about one thing.
The fight between our heroes and the bad guys.
It lacked and it is why I rewrote this chapter and added more information.
Please note it is still extremely violent.
I will leave both chapters on so new readers will be able to compare both chapters.
I'd like you all to tell me which of the two you prefer best. This one right here: the chapter I rechecked and is a lot longer and where the fight is an actual challenge.
Or the original one.
Thank you all and I hope you will enjoy this chapter. Please leave a review to tell me your thoughts and your opinion about the two chapters :)
Chapter 4 - rewritten
The fight continued. Axis and Korra on the upper deck. Her father and the rest below deck. The men fought their way up, leaving dead in their wake. Bodies of dead raiders spread all over the ship.
Tonraq used his amazing water bending skill to slice his way through anything that came on his path. He needed to go to his daughter and her friend. He knew they were capable to fight but his parental instincts still roared inside him. If anything happened to either of them... he'd never forgive himself.
Axis might not been his blood, but the young woman meant a great deal to the proud Chief. He and had found her many years ago. Alone. Abandoned. Scared. He noticed by her tanned skin that, at least, one of her parents had been from the water tribe. Her dark blue irises, surrounded by a small circle of turquoise had warmed his heart. She was three years older than Korra. The two became close friends and together they trained hard to become the women they are today.
They finally made it to the upper deck. The scene before him was exactly what he had expected. Korra used her ice sword to slice a man's throat. He fell to the floor and reached to his neck. His hands did a desperate attempt to keep his life essence from escaping. A total failure.
Axis used a mix of her water bending abilities and swordsmanship. Chopping off an arm here, slicing off an arm there. He even witnessed her decapitating a man with a single blow. She was almost completely covered in blood and she enjoyed every second of it.
He looked over at Korra again. She was covered in less blood but the amount of defeated enemies that surrounded her, made both women equally skilled in battle. Although many victims of his daughter were still alive. Barely. But still alive. For now. Axis learned from a young age how to take a life. She seemed to have the extraordinary ability to find new ways to kill her victims.
To be honest, he couldn't blame them either. What he had heard from Korra. What these men had done to their captive. This punishment was something they had coming to them.
"{Dad! It's about time! I thought we'd run out of scum to kill before you'd be able to join us!}" she snickered but had to move sideways to dodge a blast of fire. "{Fuck...!}"
He grinned. "{Have a little faith in your old man Korra!}" he chuckled and created a small, but extremely sharp, piece of ice with a little water from his pouch. He send it towards the firebender and the piece of ice dug a way deep into his chest. He immediately fell to the ground. After he twitched a few more times, he was dead.
The water tribe warriors fought hard. The raiders had several benders of their own. Although the earthbenders were useless out at sea. There were quite a few fire and waterbenders among them. Some warriors had severe burns on their hands, arms and chest.
They fought bravely and with the power of the Full Moon, they were able to take many raiders down. But eight against an entire crew of raiders were too many and slowly, their energy began to fade.
Korra send sharp pieces of ice into almost any direction. Unfortunately for her, a water bender used the force of her throw to redirect it right back. The shard missed her at less then an inch. She heard a deep groan that came from behind and saw her father reach for his left shoulder. "{Dad! NO!}" she turned around and rushed to her father's aid, leaving Axis to fend for her own. He groaned in discomfort and clenched his teeth in an attempt to keep himself from screaming.
"Axis! AXIS!" Korra screamed her friend's name, a hand pressed firmly against his bleeding wound.
"{Kinda... busy!}" Axis answered, growling at anyone who dared to come to close. As she fought, she moved backwards. She was panting. Exhaustion was slowly taking over her body but she stubbornly refused to give in.
"{I can... I can use...}" Korra started but was cut off by her friend.
"{No! Don't! Don't reveal yourself! I can...-}" something sharp hit Axis's head and knocked her off balance. She landed next to Korra and Tonraq. She was dazed for a few seconds and shook her head to get her focus back. She looked from Korra and her father, to the raiders. They had stopped their attack but created a circle around them. Slowly closing in.
She frowned and sighed deeply. She needed to calm her racing heart. Her gaze fell on a small dagger that Tonraq had behind his belt. Korra noticed what she looked at and shook her head. "{No! Are you insane?! You're too weak to...-}" she had no time to finish her sentence. Axis had already taken the small dagger and now stood between the raiders and her fellow tribe members.
"{I'm sorry Korra... I can't risk you exposing yourself... not yet...}" she looked over her shoulder, gave her friend a reassuring smile and turned her gaze to the raiders before her. She brought the dagger to her wrist and dug the tip of it into her skin. She growled slightly from the pain but it didn't stop her from moving the weapon up. Blood dripped down on the wooden deck and some men stopped moving forward. When she reached the crook of her arm, blood was freely flowing over her wrist and she fell onto one knee.
Her breaths became ragged and short but she had to go on. She couldn't stop now. So she let her injured arm rest on the deck as blood kept pouring from the deep wound. She licked her lips and closed her eyes.
"{Spirits... please hear my plea...}" she groaned, she was loosing too much blood too fast. "{Accept my blood sacrifice... and destroy my enemy...}"
The blood that stained the wood seemed to be absorbed and slowly disappeared. Axis groaned and did an attempt to keep her wound closed with her free hand.
The raiders remained silent. Their surroundings were quiet. Too quiet...
"She's bluffing! The bitch is bluffing!" A man screamed and some of the men did a step forward. "Get her! Kill them n...- huark...!" a massive dark spirit had appeared behind him. One of its enormous sharp claws had been forced through the mans chest and grabbed his heart. The spirit pulled back its claw and held the beating organ before devouring it. The man was dead before he hit the deck.
Other dark spirits appeared and attacked the crew of the ship. A gigantic wolf like creature threw itself on three men at the same time. Ripping them to shreds with it's bare teeth. The screams of the man echoed through the darkness of the night. But no one felt pity.
Another Spirit crawled it's way up on the deck. It looked like a giant octopus. It slithered over the wood easily. Its tentacles grabbed two men and latterly squeezed the life out of them. Blood and gore came from their mouths and dripped on the deck. The Spirit then threw their bodies overboard. Another tentacle charged towards the chest of a raider and it dug itself deep into the mans chest. The man's eyes wide in horror, his mouth slightly open but there was no sound. His eyes rolled back into his skull and he was dead.
Korra watched as Axis got back on her feet. She walked over to where the Spirits were fighting. She walked over to the wolf Spirit and laid her hand on it's massive head. She leaned closer to the creature's head and whispered something in it's ear. The wolf nodded and before Korra could even react, the Spirit merged with Axis body.
Axis grew several inches in size. Her eyes were glowing a bright red and her hands changed. They formed into claws. Her teeth became longer, more wolf like. Her merger and transformation became complete. She growled like a wild animal and looked around. There were a dozen men left. They send fire and water at her. She dodged the attacks easily now.
She was about to strike down the first when a fire whip wrapped itself around her injured arm. She screamed in agony as the fire burned her flesh. She looked around to see where it came from and her eyes stopped at a tall, bulky and fierce man. His clothes and uniform showed his status as first mate. She could see why.
The captain had looked intimidating, but this man made even her heart skip a beat or two. Her eyes grew wide in horror when she was yanked into his direction. She landed not far from the man's feet. He raised one of his massive arms in the air and brought it down with immense force. Something sharp pierced its way through her clothes and straight into her shoulder. She cried out in pain once again. The man pulled back and with that, the weapon he held. It was thin, short but incredibly sharp.
He raised one of his boots and aimed it at her head. The clear intension to turn her head in nothing but mush. Before the boot could hit it's target, she rolled aside. Just in time. A second later and her head would've been another stain on the wooden deck. She scrambled back onto her own two feet and tried to put as much distance between him and her as she could.
She groaned and looked down at her injured arm. Scorched flesh decorated her skin.
Two crew member thought they could seize the opportunity to take Axis down and broke free from the rest. Yes, Axis was injured but she still held the power of the Wolf spirit in her. She took out the first by slicing his throat and the other by sending a powerful punch against his throat. Breaking the bones of his neck instantly.
Two down, several more to go... she was panting from exhaustion. Sweat formed on her forehead and all the muscles in her body seemed to be on fire. Her body wouldn't sustain the merger with the Spirit for too long.
"Don't attack until I say so!" she heard the man bark the command to the left over crew behind him. "Katan! Get your ass here!" he barked again to someone else.
"I'm here Garuh, where do you need me." Katan asked, judging by his uniform, he was the ships quarter master. He wore a navy blue uniform, a clear sign for water tribe descendants. Two wolf tails hung next to his face and the rest of his hair hung loosely over his shoulders.
"Heal the men and take care of the Spirits that are left, I'll deal with this brat... and rid the world of her diseased kin!" he said and pulled out a massive two handed sword.
Axis frowned and swallowed hard. She noticed how this Katan used the power of the Moon to his own advantage. He was clearly a powerful water bending Master. Some Spirits had already disappeared. One of the bigger ones tried to attack the water bender but he easily dodged the Spirits attack and used a mix of several water attacks to kill the Spirit.
Garuh now focussed on Axis. She pulled out one of her own swords and tried to deflect his powerful attacks with her agile body. He was strong and tall. But that also made him slower. She dodged another of his attacks by quickly turning to the side. She hadn't expected Garuh to suddenly change his mind halfway through and used the handle of his sword to hit one of Axis's shoulder blades.
She had heard a loud crack and howled in pain. The impact had been so powerfull that it send her straight back to where Korra and her father were. The pain clouded her brain and her sight was blurry for a moment. The wolf Spirit left her body and she turned back to normal.
She scrambled back on her feet. She stood unstable between Garuh and the only family she had left in the world. She had expected the man to come for her but he had remained where he was.
He had a wicked grin plastered on his face and dropped his sword. "It's time to end our little game..." he smirked and moved his hand in a way that would create an electric charge.
No... her eyes grew wide in fear. She felt as if she world had stopped spinning when he send the powerful electric charge their way.
Something or more like, someone, moved and stood between her and Garuh. Korra pointed two fingers forward. She let out an agonizing scream when she let the electricity flow through her arm, down to the stomach, back up to her other arm and finally out of her body. She redirected the lighting back to where it came from.
Garuh's eyes had grown wide as his own attack was used against him. The powerful charge hit him directly in the chest and send him flying backwards. He was dead before he knew what hit him.
Katan had taken out another Spirit when he witnessed how the young woman redirected Garuh's lighting. "{That's impossible... only a firebender is able to...}" he frowned when it hit him. "{I guess I'll be the one to take down the Avatar}" he said and grinned. His body moved smoothly like the water he was bending. He created spikes with ice and send it to the two young women.
Axis created a wall of ice to protect them. She sat next to Korra who groaned in discomfort. "{Are you insane...?!}" Axis shrieked. "{You did this only once before! You should've just..-}" she was cut short when a ice lance hit their wall and broke off a piece.
Korra was panting, drops of sweat slid down her face as she looked her friend in the eye. She smiled warmly. "{If you think I'd let you die... you're fucking insane...}" she groaned and got back on her two feet. "{Come on... }" Axis nodded and got up as well.
Both women took a defensive stance. Korra had both hands raised while Axis had only one. The look of determination present on both their faces. They heard Katan command some men to charge forward. Which they did. Four broke free from the rest. Weapons ready and fuelled by anger.
Axis dodged a sword by moving to the side like she had done with Garuh earlier. This time she was faster and dug her sword in the man's back before he could turn around. She swiftly turned around to face another but he was to close already. She had no time to react fast enough. She saw the sword come and took a final deep breath and closed her eyes. Ready for the pain that would come.
It never came. She opened her eyes again and noticed that her attacker was frozen in ice. She looked over her shoulder and noticed how Tonraq and Darkan, another warrior, both stood their ground. She smiled and mouthed a 'thank you' at both of them. Korra had used a small ice dagger to take out one of her attackers. He laid on the deck, hands firmly pressed against his neck as blood oozed out a wound. She was still busy deflecting other attacks he threw at her.
Tonraq stepped in and helped his daughter. He froze the man's feet to the deck, immobilizing him and then took him out with a punch in the face.
The four of them now stood before Katan. He narrowed his eyes but before he could even summon water for another attack, Darkan, Tonraq, Korra and Axis all moved in sync. Creating a massive wave that send the water bending master against a wall. Water enclosed his body and froze him in place. His entire body, except his face, was covered in solid ice.
The four tribe members then turned to the remaining raiders. They threw down their weapons in defeat. The Avatar along with a Voodoo Master and two water bending Masters during a full Moon was too much of a risk.
Darkan grinned and nodded in satisfaction. He was about to walk towards the raiders when he let out an agonizing scream. Something had hit him. Something sharp and made of metal. He looked at his shoulder and pulled out something sharp. He noticed a green substance that covered the little dagger. Poison...
A second later, he felt like every artery in his body would explode. As if every muscle in his body was on fire. Korra and her father looked at him and saw how he took a fighting position.
"{Someone's bloodbending him...}" Axis said and before she could utter another word, the same happened to her. "ARGH!" her injured shoulder was forced to bend in ways that were incredibly painful. She took out her other sword with a scream of pain that echoed over the ship.
Korra watched in horror as Darkan, Axis and even her father were forced in a fighting stance. They surrounded her. Korra shook her head in disbelief. "{No... no! I won't fight you!}" she looked around, fear took a hold onto her heart. None of the crew members seemed to bloodbend them. Then who was it that was doing this?
"Well well well... I never thought I'd live the day to see the Avatar..." a honey sweet voice said. The sound of footsteps could be heard. Slowly, a woman emerged one of the doors that would lead to the lower decks. She wore boots with high heels. A tight leather pants. A loose shirts that showed off her cleavage perfectly. And a captains hat with a dark red feather. Her hair as black as the night. Lips red as rubies. A flawless pale skin with green eyes that were fixed on the young Avatar before her.
Korra looked at the woman. Her eyes wide in shock. "Who..."
The woman smiled amused. "My name is June... I was the captain's wife." She said and did a few steps closer. "What's done is done Avatar..." she grinned wickedly and moved her arms smoothly through the air. Axis, Tonraq and Darkan all attacked her.
Korra dove forward and escaped the attacks of the trio. She dodged the attacks to the best of her ability but she knew she couldn't possibly win.
She summoned water to help her and she managed to freeze her fathers feet, all the way up to his knees, to the deck and immobilized him.
One... two more... the thought and turned her attention to Darkan. He tried to grab her by the throat. Her quick reflexes allowed her to move aside, she then grabbed his arm and send him flying over her shoulder. He landed with a loud bang and she then instantly froze his body but left his head so he was able to breathe.
She was a second to late when she turned to Axis. A sword pierced her shoulder. She cried out in pain and quickly pulled back. The tip of the sword was removed as she moved backwards. She brought a hand to her injured shoulder. Her eyes locked with those that belonged to her friend. She saw tears that streamed over her cheeks. "{K-kill... m...e...}" she forced herself to speak.
Korra shook her head. "{No!}" she dodged another attack and stepped backwards. She forgot that Darkan laid on the deck and she fell backwards when she tripped over his frozen body.
She tried to get up but the tip of Axis sword now pushed against her chest. She looked up. Her friend had her eyes clenched shut. She refused to see how she'd murder the younger woman.
"Goodbye, Avatar." June said and motioned with her hands up in the air.
Axis raised her other sword and readied herself for the final blow. Her breath was fast, shallow. She felt like her heart would explode.
Suddenly, out of the blue. She regained control over her body. She blinked, confused. She looked down at Korra who looked equally confused. "{What...}"
They heard the woman groan in discomfort and they both turned their gaze towards her. An arm was wrapped around her neck and someone held her in place from behind.
Korra recognized the man. He was the one that had taken her from the prison and to the captain earlier. Her relief was short lived when June started to get the upper hand. She clawed at his neck and face.
The young Avatar quickly got onto her feet and rushed to the man's aid. She used her fist to punch against the woman's chest. Hitting her wherever she could. She heard her groan in pain but had reached to her belt. She held a small dagger in her hand and Korra watched in horror when she drove that dagger into the man behind her.
He slumped backwards and June was finally free from his choking grasp. She wanted to turn the dagger towards the Avatar and almost succeeded. She suddenly stopped moving and stood frozen. Her eyes fixed on the younger woman before her. She looked down and took a deep shuddering breath. Korra held a dagger of her own and had pierced the blade deep into the other woman's chest. Right through her heart.
She took a step backwards and watched as the woman slowly slid down onto the deck. Eyes wide in disbelief.
Korra panted. Her chest was hurting and her heart seemed like it wanted to escape from her chest. It felt like it was beating against her ribs and she fell down on her knees.
She saw that her father froze the rest of the crew in place. Not giving them a chance to rise up against them as well. He had freed Darkan as well to help him.
"{We won...}" she sighed, her heart started to beat slower. "{Axis... we...}" she turned her gaze to her friend who laid motionless on the deck. Korra felt sick and rushed to her side. She knelt down and took her in her arms. With the last of her strength, she tried to heal Axis worst injury. The deep cut in her arm. It closed, slowly, and the bleeding finally stopped. She turned her attention to the shoulder wound. She managed to stop the bleeding but lacked the strength to close the wound.
Tears fell on her friends face as she laid motionless on her lap. "{Please don't die... please...}" she cried bitter tears which fell on Axis clothes and face. Her body shivered violently as she rocked back and forth while she held Axis in her arms.
Suddenly, she heard a groan. She looked at Axis's face who slowly opened her eyes. Once she opened them fully, she smiled up at the young Avatar. "{Heh... you're soaking my... clothes...}"
Korra let out a hearty chuckle and smiled relieved. "{You scared the shit out of me!}"
"{You don't get rid of me... that easily... Avutar...}" she groaned and let out a deep sigh. Tonraq made his way over to the two women while Darkan helped the other warriors.
He smiled at his daughter and at Axis. He let out a sigh of relief. "{Go release the prisoners Korra... I'll take care of Axis}"
Korra looked from Axis to Tonraq and back. Her friend nodded. "{Go on, I'll be fine... I'll be here... when you... come back.}"
"{Alright then...}" she got back on her feet. "{Axis...?}"
Axis looked at her, a weak but bright smile present on her face.
"{Thanks...}"
Axis grinned weakly at her. "{You're welcome...}"
Korra rushed back to the prison. Jumping over the dead bodies her father had left behind when he and his men fought their way to freedom. She used her bending to smelt away the ice from the prison door. She kicked it open and stepped inside. Her eyes had to get used to the darker surroundings. "Korra!" she heard her name, she smiled and walked into the direction it came from. She kneeled down next to the heiress and before she knew it, lily white arms found a way around her neck.
"Gods you have no idea... are you alright?" she mumbled and slowly pulled back to look at the younger woman. One of her hands moved to her tanned face. Soft fingertips stroke the skin of her cheeks. They moved to her jaw, then to her neck. She heard a gasp come from the other woman.
"Korra! You're... injured!" she put a pale hand over the Avatar's shoulder that had been pierced by Axis's sword.
She let out a soft groan when the heiress touched the wound. "I fine. It not... hurt too bad..." she lied and forced a smile.
Asami moved her hand to Korra's torso, her eyes fixed on her chest to make sure there were no other wounds. She eventually realized what she was doing and quickly pulled her hand back. "Sorry.. I... uh..." she felt a familiar heat crawl it's way up to her cheeks. She felt an arm slide behind her back, another one under her knees and yelped when she was lifted off of the floor.
Korra felt a sharp sting in her shoulder when she lifted Asami off of the wooden floor but she didn't care. She felt a new burst of energy when she held the woman in her arms.
The Southerner turned and headed to the door again. "You all free. Come." She said to the others that were there. They scrambled to their feet and hesitantly followed the tanned woman who held Asami in her arms as they made their way to the upper deck.
They stepped outside and Asami took in a deep breath. She looked up at the full moon and her eyes welled with tears. She hid her face in the crook of Korra's warm neck as she started to sob. She walked over to the Captains quarters, opened the door and stepped inside. She simply stepped over the Captains dead body and walked to the bed.
She sat down on the piece of furniture with the heiress still in her arms. Korra let her back lean against the headboard of the massive oak bed and laid Asami between her legs. Her face still buried against her neck. Her chest was convulsing violently as she cried out everything that had happened to her. Ever since she was taken from her homeland.
Korra just sat there. Stroking Asami's black hair. Pale arms were wrapped around her waist weakly. Tears soaked the fabric of Korra's sleeveless top but she didn't care. She kissed Asami's forehead tenderly. The heartbreaking sobs slowly subsided and turned into an occasional sniffle. The weak grip that the vixen had around her waist became limp. Her breath became slow but steady.
Korra looked down at the heiress and noticed she had fallen asleep right on top of her. She chuckled softly and turned her gaze to the door when she noticed someone opened it from the other side. It was her father who supported Axis who's arm was around the taller man's neck. She brought a finger to her lips and then pointed at Asami.
Her father nodded and smiled."{Would you mind if she stays here? I wanted to lay her down in the cabin of the ship's first mate, but... the spirits kinda... left it in a way that we need to clean it up in order to make it liveable again.}" Tonraq said in a whispering tone.
"{Of course, not a problem.}" Korra said and covered Asami and herself with the silken bed sheets.
"{Apparently there were several crew members hiding in there... the Spirits found them anyway.}" Axis said and snickered. She winced when Tonraq helped her sit down on a chair.
He and two others took the wooden bed from the first mate's cabin and placed it in the captains quarters. They placed it next to a window not far from where Korra and Asami were. It was stationed in the opposite corner of the other bed and close to the door.
Tonraq helped to undress Axis and used bandages on the wounds that Korra had healed to the best of her abilities. She groaned and bit the inside of her cheek as he worked on her. He smiled reassuring at her once he was done. Almost her entire torso was covered in bandages. Which included her bindings around her breasts.
"{You should get some rest. Me and the men will question the remaining crew members that surrendered.}" he said and looked at Axis who nodded. "{We'll see what they have to say and lock them up once we're done.}" he placed a water pouch next to Axis, walked over to the two on the other bed and left two with them. "{I'll see you girls later.}" he said with a smile and headed out the door, closing it behind him.