A Legend of Korra Fanfic
By Sakura Martinez (aka SMTsukishiro)

Summary:

A promising engineering student. A mysterious woman capable of controlling the four elements. When their paths cross, the resulting collision not only changes their lives and themselves, but the fate of the entire world as well. [Korrasami AU]

Author's Notes:

With just two days before Christmas, I hope this would be sufficient enough of an update to satiate everyone's craving for one. I had planned to release this chapter before the weekend but it was just returned to me yesterday and I was out with my family with no way to update this, hence the one-day delay.

Anyways, Happy Holidays, everybody! I hope you have an amazing Christmas spent with your loved ones and that the last few days of the year will be one full of blessings and good tidings to you and your families!

Enjoy the chapter!
Dream on; Fly on!

PS. This chapter is dedicated to my new subscribers on YouTube and those who left a comment in the previous chapter, particularly BlackWolf. You guys are awesome!

The Legend of Korra:

The Schism

Chapter 69: The Longest Night, Part 3

Her ears were still ringing when they had finally tumbled to the top and Asami finally let go of her neck. She collapsed to the ground, spent from the effort, body aching. Korra never felt happier at having finished a task as much as she had felt at that moment.

Asami sat beside her, hands massaging the aching limbs that had hung on the Avatar for dear life as they made their way upwards out of the cliff. Her face—very much like the Avatar's—was marred by dirt, her clothes were torn in some places where it had been snagged by protruding rocks that not only took a chunk of their clothes but also caused scratches on their skin to appear. She looked at Korra with great concern, a question hanging on her Chosen's lips, but the young woman did not seem willing to ask. And though Korra was still far from being able to understand Asami fully, she could tell what that question was—or could throw a guess at it, at the very least.

"I am fine," she provided the answer to the unasked question. "Incredibly tired and hurting all over, but fine." Korra smirked for good measure. "I cannot say the same about my ears, however. It is still ringing."

Asami gave her a withering look, which only made Korra smirk even more. "You know, I wonder sometimes if you are doing these things on purpose. It's like you enjoy scaring me."

Korra merely laughed in response, which—in turn—caused Asami to cross her arms. When her laughter had subsided, she informed the Prodigy of their need to return to the cavernous pit at a later time.

"Why?" Befuddled, Asami asked.

"The rift is down there, and it is much bigger than I thought it would be..." she responded, closing her eyes, remembering the tear floating close to one of the cavern's walls. "I could feel the darkness in there, far stronger than anywhere else I have felt it from. I am not certain, but I feel like that is the cause of my bending going…haywire. At least, while I was down there."

"So this strange fog…?"

Korra nodded, "I believe that is the cause, yes. As to why such a rift could exist and how it could have grown as big as it did is still a mystery to me." She sighed, "The Spirit I had called for to aid me in uncovering the truth about it is…indisposed."

Silence descended upon them after that and Korra closed her eyes, content for a while to just lay there. Though there were still questions that needed answering and mysteries that required solving, she was immensely glad and relieved that Asami was alright; that the Avatar's Chosen had not hurt herself with her recklessness and that they both managed to return topside unscathed…well, for the most part.

The Avatar's mind recalled their climb and the strange surge of power she felt as they did. Opening her eyes, she looked over at her friend and companion who had returned to inspecting her clothes and the scratches on her arms. Asami was truly an enigma to her.

Noticing that she was being stared at, Asami turned her attention from her aching arms to the Avatar lying beside her.

Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "What is it?"

The question surprised Korra just as being caught staring did. She had thought Asami was too preoccupied to notice.

"It is…uh, nothing. Probably." She frowned, the expression mirrored on the Prodigy's face. "I was just thinking and I noticed something peculiar."

"On my face?" Asami pushed down the urge to look at the reflective surface of the Shock Glove she still was wearing and see what it was that had the Avatar staring.

"What? No!" It didn't take longer than a heartbeat for Korra to immediately blurt out the first things that crossed her mind. "That is not it at all. Your face is beautiful. Perfect, even. Regardless if it is caked in dirt and grime. That was not what I was insinuating. I was talking about my bending."

Whether Korra understood the effects of her words, or even thought about what they could mean to Asami and how she would take it, was not something the Avatar's Chosen would bet anything upon. Especially when the Avatar, herself, just barrelled right through without batting an eyelash.

Still, that did not mean Asami's face did not turn crimson. It did. She was certain the tips of her ears, hidden behind her cascading locks, were blushing as well, if the warmth she was feeling from them were any indication.

Avatar Korra remained oblivious, however, and Asami did not know whether she should feel relieved by that or annoyed.

"I told you I was having troubles with my bending, correct? And how I could only use my fire-bending?"

Asami managed to nod at that, still reeling and speechless.

"I was having a bit of trouble even with that. I could get the flames just right, but it felt as though I was over-extending myself." Korra looked away then, towards something far and unseen. Then her eyes trailed back to the raven-haired, young woman. "But when we were reunited, it suddenly felt much easier. I felt much stronger. Granted, it was still a pain to make this climb as it is physically taxing, but when it came to controlling my powers—or what I could use at the moment, at least—it was like you were…empowering me." A shrug followed, "I just thought it strange and it made me think…"

The chocolate-haired Avatar pushed herself up to sit, muscles protesting but she disregarded them as an idea popped suddenly in her head, leaving her words hanging and Asami wondering what was going on.

Perhaps we need not return later, after all.

Placing her fists together, Korra closed her eyes. Asami—despite failing to comprehend what just happened, knew what the Avatar intended to do and so she kept silent (though words eluded her, regardless).

Deep breaths allowed the deity-turned-human to bring herself to calmness and tranquility. The eerie silence of the swamp was slowly muted. The movement around her, minimal as it was already, slowed to a crawl until nothing was moving save for the rise and fall of her chest that came with each breath.

It was different from her meditations that brought her to the Spirit Realm. Although she could still travel there, Korra did not want to risk it. Not after what she heard the Light Spirit say. Granted, she would eventually need to go there and fix whatever the problem was—If I still had time to do so, the bitter thought came unbidding and she quickly chased it away—but that would come at a later date when she would be ready and strong enough for whatever lay in wait for her in the now-darkness infested realm.

No, she was not in the Spirit Realm. Rather, she was at the In-Between. The interstice of the Human and Spirit Realms. It was just a small pocket of reality, but it was a good-enough place to attempt what she had in mind.

Her surroundings were still the same: the vast expanse of the swampy and murky woods behind her and the cliff before her, the fog still enveloped the entire area…

At the same time, however, it was not. It was like stepping inside a mirror-version of the world, just duller and devoid of any true existence. Every movement created a ripple and though she had stood up, her true self—her body—remained seated on the ground, immobile.

Some would call it an "out-of-body experience". She preferred to call it as it was: Astral Projecting.

"Uvaŋa tilliñ iliptik, Mnemosyne." The Avatar spoke in the Ancient Tongue, the words flowing from her lips like a gentle, yet roaring, river as her voice rung in the otherworldly silence.

Come to me, Mnemosyne.

Raising a hand up in the air, palms facing the sky, Korra went on to say, "Uvaŋa, Aŋatkugnak, aiyagaaktuk ilvich!"

I, the Avatar, call upon thee!

Her palm glowed, signifying that Mnemosyne heard her call. But Korra could sense something still stopping the Spirit of Memory from showing before her. Unlike before, however, the Avatar could feel the Spirit's desire to speak with her and come to her aid.

Still not enough… Korra thought to herself. She glanced at Asami, looking at the taller, young woman that was frozen in time. I am correct, though. Somehow, Asami is enhancing my power, strengthening it as it needs. If that is the case…

She bit her lip. What came to mind was reckless, even more so than the Prodigy's attempt at a rescue. But if just being close to Asami could increase her powers in such a way that made it possible for Mnemosyne to acknowledge her presence despite the barrier between them, then…

Korra made a decision. This night has already been filled with audacious actions, one more should not matter much. I hope…

With that thought in mind, Korra dropped her arm and turned to Asami. She had never once attempted to do what she planned to do now, but she knew how to accomplish it. And if she was right in her assumption that the porcelain-skinned girl she had grown quite fond of had a gift—a power—of her own, then it would not prove to be too difficult a task.

That being said, the Avatar felt suddenly nervous, even as she knelt down next to the human and reached out to her, placing her hands on Asami's shoulders. Korra did not know why she felt that way, however, only that she did.

The moment that she made contact, there was quick flash of bright, white light and Asami blinked at her confused. Understandably so, the Avatar's Chosen had seen her sitting, cross-legged, fist pressed together just seconds ago and now she was close, kneeling beside her, with her hands on Asami's shoulders. In Asami's perspective, everything happened faster than a blink of an eye.

"Asami," Korra was careful in addressing her friend, not wanting to spook her before she had a chance to notice her surroundings. "Do not be alarmed, okay?"

"Alarmed? Why would I be—?" The question was left hanging incomplete in her lips. Asami's eyes widened then, and her mouth dropped open as she noticed two Korras: one kneeling before her and another sitting close by. She did not know whom to address as she asked, "Why are there two of you? Did I hit my head or something? Maybe I passed out and am dreaming?" in a way that sounded as though she really did not want to know the answers to her flurry of questions.

"There is only one of me," Korra rolled her eyes and scoffed at the thought. She gestured towards her sitting form and said, "That is just my body in the Human Realm. And no, you did not pass out, nor are you dreaming. I needed your help, so I brought you here. To the In-Between."

"What are you talking about?" Asami began looking around then, and as she stood up, Korra kept a hand to steady her. Once again, her expression morphed into a mixture of wonder, panic, and confusion when she looked down and saw herself sat on the ground. "Korra…?"

"Again, that is just your physical body." Trying not to alarm Asami proved to be such an impossible task. When those words failed to calm the human down and only managed to worry her even further (which is truly quite understandable), Korra's hands went from her shoulder to Asami's arms, rubbing them in hopes that it would help. Her voice took on a gentler tone as she said, "Hey, there is no need to worry. You are okay, Asami."

To prove her point, Korra released them both from the In-Between and they found themselves back in their original positions: Korra sitting cross-legged with Asami beside her.

"See?" Korra opened her eyes, looked at Asami and gestured between them. "You are fine."

Asami let go of the breath she was holding, shoulders slumped as she did. "Next time, please warn me that you are going to do something like that before you actually do it?"

The Avatar smiled sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head. "I apologize. I did not actually think things through, but I meant what I said, I need you with me in the In-Between."

"What was that place?" Asami looked around, as though trying to ascertain that she was truly back and not in that strange, out-of-sorts place.

"The In-Between." Korra bobbed her head, nodding sagely, and spoke matter-of-factly as she explained what it was.

Asami listened intently at the Avatar's incredulous explanation regarding that strange plane of existence. It was hard to wrap her head around it, despite having experienced being there and seeing the In-Between for herself. The layers of what she knew about reality—what she had been taught and made to understand about it—was being peeled, one by one, by the Avatar and Asami was certain this would not be the last time Korra would turn her understanding of the world upside-down and inside-out.

"It is not really a dangerous place to be," Korra was saying, "Well, as long as I am with you, that is. People can easily get lost in there if they were to stumble into the In-Between on their own…or so I have been told. I never ventured into that realm unless I have to, and I usually do not."

The aspiring, young inventor contemplated to herself for a moment. Something about such a statement struck a chord in her and had her reaching out to a fleeting thought that crossed her mind. Her eyes snapped towards Korra's as she finally realized what it was.

"The missing people!" She suddenly blurted out. From the lost look on Korra's face, Asami went on to expound, remembering Taku. "The towns that were struck with the Witching Hour and the people that were caught up in the wave of darkness it brought, you don't suppose they all ended up in the In-Between?"

Korra shook her head, "That I do not know. The nature of the In-Between is as much a mystery to me as it is to you. And even if that were the case and the people taken by the dark wave are stuck there, it would be foolish of us to attempt to find and rescue them all. Not in the state I am in and certainly not when there is a chance doing so can put you in danger."

Asami was about to open her mouth and argue, but Korra beat her to it and with finality in her voice, and an unwavering determination in her cerulean eyes, said, "That is not up for debate, Asami. You can hate me if you want, but I will not change my mind about it. It is far too risky, and it is not the reason why I even brought you to that place to begin with."

The Prodigy sighed. She was being pushy, she knew, but the thought of those people being in that outlandish place and how frightened they must be gnawed at her.

"You're right, I'm sorry." Asami admitted to her faults. "I just…those people, and those whom they left behind…"

"I know," Korra's lips quirked gently upwards. "I understand. It is just in your nature to help. It is an annoying trait to have as it almost-always gets me in trouble and is quite bothersome whenever you ask for my assistance, but it is one of the reasons I have grown fond of you as well."

And Asami really couldn't help but groan, which was something Korra did not expect to be her reaction.

"What? What did I say?" It baffled the Avatar why her Chosen would suddenly hang her head low as she did. "I meant that as a compliment."

The young heiress shook her head and without looking at the Avatar sighed, "You really should think more about the effect your words can have on some people, Korra."

Korra cocked her head to the side, "I do not understand. I thought you would be pleased to know that."

And, really, Asami couldn't think of anything else to say without divulging too much herself, and so she just chuckled and shook her head saying "Nevermind", before setting their conversation back on course with what was most important at the time. "So, what is it you need me for?"

The Avatar looked at her like she was the one who was strange for a second longer than was necessary, to which Asami merely raised an eyebrow once more to convey her impatience—it was simply just a mask to keep Korra from poking into a subject she was not certain she wanted breached just yet. Not while Korra was still young to the idea of it—not even knowing what it was—and she was frightened of what might happen thereafter if she would allow herself to cling unto that topic.

She did not want to be the "distraction" Korra claimed her to be earlier that night.

"I just need you to be with me in the In-Between and hold my hand."

Asami blinked and waited for whatever Korra was to say next, because surely there was more that she would be needed to do than just those things. But nothing else came, and Korra was simply waiting for her response—her agreement—to come back with her to that in-between place.

"You're serious." It was a statement but Korra still gave an affirmative response to it. "How would that even be helpful?"

"I have already told you, you somehow make my powers stronger." Korra went back to sitting cross-legged on the floor. "I do not know what the reason behind that is, but I need your strength to boost mine so that I can communicate with Mnemosyne and ask her what occurred in this place."

"If I can do that then why do your Avatar powers keep glitching out on you even when we're together?" Asami did not want to buy into whatever it was Korra think she was capable of. She was just an ordinary, young woman thrust into these extraordinary things, after all. Regardless if she, apparently, was given that title of 'Avatar's Chosen'. She would have known she had some sort of power, wouldn't she?

"Like I have said, I do not know." Korra shrugged. "Perhaps I am just overthinking things. If so, humor me?"

She would have liked to think (and maybe, at occasions, brag) that she was a very astute and patient woman. Maybe not so much in her youth, but having lived her later years in the murky swamp—after the events that had transpired, guarding the wetlands and that which lay there—she had learned to be such.

And because of that, even though it had taken Korra far longer to get to find her, Toph managed to hum a song to herself and uncomplainingly wait for the girls' return. The Light Spirit, who had opted to stay behind with her—which was for the best—sat by the window, ready to alert her should Korra and Asami finally return.

Not that Toph needed anyone notifying her that. She would know, after all. The Swamp would tell her, as long as Korra and Asami set foot within her sphere of influence. And her reach was far and wide, having perfected it. The only place she could not see was the place where it all began—where she had directed Korra to go.

A gentle breeze blew from the open window, and Toph looked up. The Light Spirit, having sensed it too, perked up.

The old woman raised an eyebrow at the message the wind had brought and the Light Spirit, she could sense, had turned its attention at her, probably questioning her at the wind's insistence.

"I know what I am doing," her words were directed not just to whom the message carried by the wind was but to the spirit as well. "Korra might seem like she isn't ready—she is certainly far weaker than I thought she would be at this point—not to mention that whatever that idiot Zuko had told her seemed to have shaken the girl quite a bit…but if we are to succeed—no, if Avatar Korra is to succeed—then this is the correct way of doing things. No shortcuts."

She huffed then when a stronger wind blew, "I know what I am doing, Twinkle Toes. Korra will be fine. There is not much danger within those parts, last time I checked."

Later, when all things were done, Toph would wonder just how much the universe seemed to enjoy entertaining themselves at her expense. For it was at that exact moment, after she had confidently uttered those words, did small, orbs of light flickered into existence around her.

The Amka.

Toph blew a raspberry feeling their presence.

"What is it this time?" she asked to no one in particular.

The Amka danced around the room, their lights blinking rapidly changing from one color to the next. She had seldom sensed them act that way. The last time such a thing happened was…

The old recluse shook her head. She was getting ahead of herself. Still, she was not the only one curious by the appearance of the Amka. Even the wind had stilled and the Light Spirit had turned to listen.

And so she did, too.

And really, there could not have been a more unwelcomed news at the most unwelcomed of times. No one could fault Toph then, as she rushed out of her humble home, and towards that misery-filled place she had pointed Korra and Asami to that she turned to the wind and snarled, "Not another word!".

She was certain, when all was said and done, if something were to happen to the two, young women that she would not hear the end of it.

Especially if Aang had anything to say about it.

Korra wasn't lying.

She really did just need Asami to be there with her and hold her hand, because that was all Asami did when they returned to the In-Between. She held Korra's hand when Korra offered her own and just stood by the Avatar's side as the deity-turned-human raised her free hand up above her head and spoke in a language Asami had only heard Korra use to curse before.

Sure, she felt a warm tingle in her hand, but that was probably just because she was holding Korra's hand and not because of some hidden power she didn't know she had.

And though the language itself was alien to her, the words it conveyed were not. Due to the Avatar's Gift that she received earlier that night, the Prodigy could understand what was uttered as though it was second nature to her; as though she had heard it her whole life.

She watched in fascination as Korra's hand—the one that was raised above—glowed and on her palm the light stretched and elongated into a long, rod-like shape. When it had grown as long as a staff, Korra clutched it tightly, before she struck the ground hard with it.

Instead of the sound of the earth cracking and crumbling by the force by which it was struck, what sounded was a loud gong that reverberated through the ground and the air around them. Asami could feel the vibrations in her bones, even in her teeth as she clamped her mouth shut.

When the sound had died down and the shaking subsided and ultimately disappeared, the light that engulfed the staff dissipated as well, showing its oaken make and the large, purple jewel—three times the size of a fist—that rested on its crown.

Korra breathed a sigh of relief, her shoulders slumping as she exhaled. "It worked," she grinned, amazed at the turn of events, then looked over Asami, tugging at her hand. The Avatar beamed at her as though it was all her doing. "Thank you."

This version of Korra is weird, was the first thought that came into her mind. Not that she didn't appreciate this side of Korra, but still…

"Why are you thanking me?" Because Asami really couldn't understand the reasoning behind it. "I really didn't do anything."

"Oh, but you did!" The intensity of those words threw Asami for a loop.

Silencing her before she could come up with something to say was an ethereal voice.

"Paglan! Maani uvaŋa, Asik." The voice spoke, coming from all directions but sounding clear and loud as though the speaker was close by. It made Korra stand to attention, keeping hold of Asami's hand even tighter. Greetings! Here I am, Dear One, it had said. "Sua uvaŋa ḳipiġniuḳtuḳ?"

What dost thou desire?

"An answer to a question," Korra replied, speaking normally—which was welcomed by Asami. Much as she could understand, word for word, what was being spoken, it was like listening to two sets of tracks from different records at the same time. "I seek the truth of the events that had transpired here, Mnemosyne."

"Apiḳsruun?" A Question? The silky voice hummed. Asami noticed the jewel glowing brighter with every word—every syllable—that she heard. "Very well, Dear One, ask and I shall illuminate."

"There is a rift here. A dark and powerful tear that reeks of evil," And the Avatar's Chosen noticed that Korra was speaking to the jewel itself and so she looked intently at it from where she stood.

She had to blink several times and even rubbed her eyes for good measure at what she saw—or what she thought she saw. Because there, at the middle of the giant, purple jewel was a silhouette of a person. One moment it looked like an old woman, the next it was a toddler, then a child, a robust woman, a teenager, and then back to being an old woman before once again repeating the loop in a never-ending cycle.

Asami was mesmerized by it.

"I would like to know how it came to be and why I and the Four Great Elemental Spirits failed to notice its existence."

There was silence and the jewel sitting atop the wooden staff dimmed ever so slightly that the Avatar's Chosen worried Korra might have inadvertently offended the Spirit on the Jewel.

"Very well," Mnemosyne spoke again after a while, though her voice has gone soft as a whisper. "Uvaŋa ḳuliaḳtuaḳtuḳ. Napiktuk."

I will tell you the true story. Watch closely.

Hearing those words, Asami expected the Spirit of Memory to dive right in to the story; she was ready to listen to that velvety voice and get lost in whatever narrative was to be told. She didn't expect that she and Korra would actually—quite literally—be pulled into the tale itself.

Korra knew she should focus more on the Spirit she was conversing with. She had heard how temperamental Mnemosyne could be; how the Spirit of Memory would like all attention be placed on her whenever she spoke. But the Avatar could not help herself but get distracted by the young woman beside her.

Frustration ebbed and flowed within Korra's veins, mostly at herself from being unfocused at the task at hand. She was glad her brain was still functioning somewhat and she had managed to speak as fluently as she could in the Ancient Tongue. Though with each passing moment that she saw from her periphery how fixated Asami was to Mnemosyne and how she seemed eager to hear the Spirit of Memory speak, it became hard for her to converse in the old tongue and had to revert back to speaking in the humans' native language.

She wanted to roll her eyes at herself. She was acting much like a human and feeling that familiar sting of emotion she had come to know as jealousy spike. It was absurd to feel that way, even if it was undeniable that she did. She believed she was within good reason to feel that way, after all, Mnemosyne might be a friend to them at that moment, but that did not mean the Spirit of Memory could completely be trusted.

But then Mnemosyne brought them a glimpse of the past and all thoughts about jealousy left Korra's mind…at least for the moment.

As the In-Between shifted around them, turning back the hands of time and changing the lay of the land to match with the era from whence they were being taken to, Korra's hold on Asami tightened further. When the taller girl looked questioningly at her, Korra moved closer.

"Careful," She felt Asami shiver as she leaned in to whisper in the Prodigy's ear. "You don't want to get caught up in memory and get lost."

Asami nodded, though Korra wondered if the heiress understood what she had meant; that she was not just speaking in the figurative sense, but quite literally; that their astral projected selves might be unable to return if they were to lose Mnemosyne's guidance.

Their surroundings continued to churn and melt as the clock turned backwards, so much so that it became a dizzying experience to look at. She supposed that was the reason why she suddenly felt Asami turning her body around and placing her head on the Avatar's shoulders, clutching onto her for support, fingers gripping tightly by Korra's abdomen that it brunched up the Avatar's shirt.

And Korra would find something to blame, or search for an excuse later, for what she did afterwards, but it just felt like it was the right course of action at the time…or reaction, the Avatar was not entirely certain just yet. What she was absolutely sure of was that having Asami in half an embrace in her arms was now one of her most favorite things in all the realms known to her. It was what she imagined belongingness felt like. That thought alone had her holding the Avatar's Chosen closer and tighter.

The fact that Asami did not seem to mind, pleased the Avatar immensely, though she managed to hide just how much and only let slip a soft, content smile. It helped that Asami had her eyes closed as well.

When time finally stopped colliding its future and past selves and the world finally stopped spinning, it took a second more than necessary for Korra to ease her embrace of Asami and for the aspiring, young inventor to open her eyes to the scene that now lay in wait for them.

The world was night time still, but the fog had subsided that it was no longer difficult to look beyond one's nose. The Cypress trees were lush and the common bur-weeds, skunk cabbages, and cinnamon ferns were plentiful and grew taller than they normally would. The cliff, the sheer drop that had caused the two women to worry about each other, was non-existent. The steep slope they had walked upwards continued further on-wards with no break between the two peaks, no crag that Korra would have fallen into had the lay of the land not changed.

There was stillness around them, not just one borne from being in the In-Between, but the stillness transcended past that and into the memory they were to witness, though it was not of the unnatural kind. The silence soon dissipated, replaced by the sound of the night from the nocturnal creatures who had made the swamp their home.

Seeing nothing out of the ordinary puzzled the deity-turned-human. She was expecting to be brought to a place similar to the one they had left, where there was a feeling of danger in the air. Looking upwards and seeing the star-filled sky twinkling above made it clear that whatever they were about to see had drastically changed the area and turned it into the dark and imposing place they had stumbled into.

Korra wanted to ask Mnemosyne what they were doing there, what they were supposed to be witnessing, but the Spirit of Memory had turned silent though light continued to throb within the jewel. And even if she could, as the Avatar, command her to answer, she wasn't about to risk breaking the Spirit's concentration and irritating Mnemosyne.

And so, she and Asami waited, bodies still pressed together, for something to happen; for the memory to play itself to them. It didn't take long for that to happen, however, for they started to hear rustling noises from the nearby break between the marshlands and the slope leading from the mountain that were too loud to be caused by any small animal living within those parts.

Heads whipping in tandem, they duo looked over to where the noises had originated, and suddenly the silence and stillness vanished all together as a group of people burst forth from the shrubbery. Numbering a dozen, they were running as though being chased by the spirits of the underworld. When the one leading them saw the wetlands, they led the others past the borders and skidded to a halt and hid behind the cypress trees that stood sentry in the area.

All of them were bent over and panting. All of them, the Avatar noted, were wearing strange masks as well, bearing a depiction of some kind of demon or another, which hid their identities well. Amidst the group, there was one who remained upright despite their earlier exertion and who had something, swathed in a bundle of blankets in their arms.

The leader of the group, the one who led them to their current hiding spot (if one were to call them that, Korra found it hard for anyone not to take note of them from where they hid, especially if their pursuers were to come from the same direction they had), took one deep breath before they rose up to their full height and looked around them.

"We still have a ways to go," Muffled as the voice was, there was something in it that tickled Korra's memory and told her that she had heard it before. Looking over at Asami, she saw the taller girl had come to that realization as well. Hidden as their faces were, Korra could tell the speaker was a woman base on her physique, as well. "We have to get back to Zaofu before they catch up with us."

"The walls of Zaofu will not keep us safe," the one on the right of the leader spoke. It was a woman as well, hair long and braided at the back, taller than the one who spoke before. Her stance was challenging, as though whatever these people were doing—whatever they had done—was not something she had agreed to. "What we have done is treason. We will be putting the Earth Kingdom in turmoil and our families in danger because of this."

"I thought we had agreed that this was the only way?" The man carrying the bundle of blankets was the one who spoke. "The letter from Kuei…"

"I remember what the letter said, Wei," the braided woman huffed.

Wei, Korra and Asami exchanged glances.

"It can't be…" she heard the Prodigy mutter under her breath. Asami looked at Korra then, "That can't be Opal's brother, can it?"

"Then you would know that this is the only way we can ensure that the Earth Kingdom survives." The one called 'Wei' retorted. "The Earth King has been assassinated, just as he predicted he would be. Kuei's first born, the one in line for the throne has died as well. If we didn't do this, Hou-Ting will have no one to challenge her ascendancy to the throne."

"Be that as it may, there is no way her people would not put two and two together and figure things out. We have basically led them right at our doorsteps. They would know Zaofu had something to do with this." The braided woman gestured at each of them as she said those words laced with frustration. "The Metal Clan will not survive the onslaught that is to come! And for what? For a life of a prince we do not even yet know will be a good ruler someday?"

"Calm down, both of you." The leader of the group spoke sternly. "Stop making too much noise or you'll wake up—"

As if on cue, the bundle in Wei's arms moved and a cry was heard. It was only then that both Korra and Asami realized there were not six people in the clearing, but seven—including the young baby swaddled in blankets within the arms of the man who shared the same name as Opal's brother.

"Are we witnessing the start of the Earth Kingdom Civil War?" Asami blurted out in shock as the angry member of the group growled in exasperation and the others tried to calm the baby down.

"The Earth Kingdom's civil war?"

"I don't know much about the details other than what was shared through the papers, but there were whispers that Opal's family had something to do with the upheavals within the borders of the Earth Kingdom." Asami explained to the Avatar. "The reason behind such claims varied, but it was why the Bei Fongs became infamous and why Opal was brought to Republic City for her safety. If this happened soon after the death of Earth King Kuei, then…I can think of no other era we might be seeing than during the start of the civil war."

"A war started because of a babe?" Korra stared at the baby and the people that were now fussing over it. But the more they tried to keep the baby from crying, the louder it cried, frightened by the masks the people around it wore. "I have never heard of an even more foolish thing to start a war for than that."

"The baby is a prince, Korra," Asami pointed out in a way that made it sound she had expected Korra to understand the gravity of the situation. "And if they believe this prince to be as someone who can contest Hou-Ting's—the current Earth Queen's—reign, then his standing must be higher than Earth King Kuei's second child." The Prodigy frowned then, "Strange, though. Earth King Kuei only had two children: the eldest, Fai-Dong and Huo-Ting, and I have never heard of Prince Fai-Dong having children before his untimely demise."

Wei shooed all the others crowding him and the baby prince, before he—much to the chagrin of those around him—took off his demon mask and revealed the face that was familiar to both the Avatar and her Chosen. There was no denying the fact, after that, that this Wei and Opal's brother were one and the same as he made funny faces towards the baby in hopes of calming the little one down. He looked much younger than the face Korra remembered him having, but it was understandable if this occurred in the past.

"We have nowhere else to go, Kuvira," the leader of the group said after the baby had calmed down and Wei had put his mask back on, placing a hand on the braided woman's forearm. "And nowhere to keep the prince safe except in Zaofu."

"So you are truly willing to put the entire clan at risk, Suyin?" the braided woman—Kuvira—sounded defeated and angry at the thought.

"Opal's mother?" Korra shouldn't have sounded so surprised, but was. After all, if Wei was a part of this, it would not be so far-fetched Suyin Bei Fong would have a hand in it as well. "I know I should not be surprised, but…"

"I know what you mean," Asami nodded. "I knew it was plausible that, if there was truth in the reports regarding the Bei Fong Clan's involvement, that Lady Suyin will be in on it…but my head can't wrap itself around it. I mean, Lady Suyin has always been such a prim and proper disciplinarian. I would never think of her as someone who would bend the rules, especially not start a war."

Their discussion was cut short when Suyin responded to Kuvira's statement, saying, "We have already been put at risk the moment Kuei and Fai-Dong were assassinated and Huo-Ting took to power. The blame will fall on us. We might as well use our upcoming notoriety to our advantage, and that of the Earth Kingdom."

The woman, Kuvira, shook her head. Her posture remained unsatisfied by the reasoning and explanation thrown her way. It looked as though she was about to continue arguing, despite how unwise it would be. Whatever she was about to do, as she stood to her full height as if to continue challenging Lady Suyin and her leadership and choices, however, was put on hold when arrows came flying towards them from the shadows of the mountain peaks.

Korra felt Asami's body twitch as though she wanted to duck for cover—which the members of Lady Suyin's entourage—impressively—managed to do. It left the metal arrows to hit nothing more than tree trucks and the large boulders lying about, completely missing their mark.

"They found us already!" It felt rather like stating the obvious—if Korra was being honest—but it was still something one of the masked people announced amid the whooshing and swishing of the arrows as they flew in multitudes, dimming the skies.

Looking over at the shadows where the arrows were coming from, neither Korra nor Asami could see much. Not even silhouettes of those who were firing them. But, from the volley that kept coming, it was logical to think the attackers far outnumbered Lady Suyin's people.

"We can't stay pinned down here!" Shouted Wei as the baby in his arms began to stir once more, a wail ready to escape the infant's lips. "We'll be surrounded!"

Suyin nodded then proceeds to instruct her son, saying, "You get the prince out of here, bring a couple along with you." She motioned towards Kuvira and herself, adding, "We'll hold them off for as long as we can. We need Zaofu's defenses raised before Hou-Ting's forces get there."

Wei nodded, gripping the bundle in his arms tighter.

They all waited for the lull in the attack before a group of them—numbering half, with Wei leading the way—slipped into the darkness leading further into the swamp. Lady Suyin and the others who remained watched them all go until they could no longer.

"And, once again, you volunteer me into something suicidal and dangerous," Kuvira muttered under her breath as Suyin slinked her way to where the braided woman was hiding and watching for incoming enemies and/or projectiles. "You will be the death of me, Suyin…and I still don't know why I keep putting up with you."

"Don't be so dramatic." Scoffed Opal's mother.

"You do realize that we are undoubtedly about to battle with the other members of the Dai Li, right?" Kuvira sighed as she took something out of the hidden pockets of her robes. "And you know they come with no intention of merely apprehending us and reclaiming the prince?"

"I know," it was a solemn answer as Lady Suyin also readied herself for the imminent battle, her eyes never leaving the direction where the arrows had flown from and where they believed their enemies to be.

"Good. Then you also know that I am blaming you should I die tonight because of your folly." The taller of the two women nodded, muscles tensing as noises suddenly erupted and the ground shook with the footsteps of what could only be a hundred men. "Also, I will make sure to haunt you and your family until the end of time."

It has been a while since she moved at such a breakneck speed—an impossible feat to those who would only see her as an old lady, and especially considering what many would think was her disability. Unseeing eyes stared straight forward, and despite the obstacles that stood in her path, Toph did not slow down. Not even in the slightest.

She wasn't worried, despite what her actions may tell others. She just wanted to be certain that Korra hadn't gone and gotten herself killed…or hadn't gone and gotten the Avatar's Chosen killed.

The fog parted with each running step the Guardian of the Elemental Core of the Earth took, though it returned to its undisturbed state no soon after. Lady of the Swamp as she might have been addressed by the Light Spirit, she was not in complete control of the place. The Swamp didn't even appoint her to be its guardian. Rather, it was something she had chosen to do during the start of the Earth Kingdom Civil War.

Ever since that woman…

Toph shook her head. She would reminisce on the path her life had taken after she had ensured the safety of Korra and Asami and rub that in Aang's face.

Call me 'irresponsible', do you? Bah!

She wished she could physically hit her old friend, but considering their circumstance it was something that would have to wait.

Soon, she found herself at by the edge of the swamp and the uphill climb that led to the ravine where the root of their problem lay and there she found both Korra and Asami, sitting on the ground, unmoving but generally safe like she knew they would be.

"I told you they're fine," she huffed, knowing that the person those words were aimed at would hear them.

Toph then made her way closer to the pair. When she was several steps away from them, however, she stopped. An energy filled the air around the two, young women that was strong enough to give the Guardian pause, having felt it much stronger—much more palpable—because of her condition.

Still, she wasn't worried. This was what Korra was meant to do, after all. Instead, the old woman grinned, as she sat close to them to keep watch and ensure their safety.

"I knew you'd figure it out, Korra." She muttered under her breath, still smiling. "The question is, how much of the secret behind the Avatar's Chosen have you uncovered?"

Their movements were beautiful to watch. They were all so fluid and precise as though each member of Lady Suyin's masked crew knew what the others would do; like they could read each other's minds with how coordinated their actions were. Like a dance that was perfected through countless hours of practice, only much deadlier.

Outnumbered as they were, they were holding their ground. Suyin and Kuvira were fierce and smart fighters, playing off each other. It was enough to make Asami wonder if they could turn the tide around, momentarily forgetting that everything she was witnessing was from the past.

The Dai Li. Asami had read about them in history books, a secretive society under the employ of the Earth Kingdom royal family. They dealt in the shadows whenever the Earth Kingdom needed them. Subterfuge, assassination, espionage, there was nothing too low or underhanded that they would not do in order for their kingdom and their rulers to gain the upper hand. Of course, they were so good with secrecy and working in the dark that the history books and her studies in the University had pegged them as nothing more but the boogeymen of the Earth Kingdom, for no one had ever caught a glimpse of them (and lived to tell the tale) for anyone to ascertain their existence.

And now she was seeing them and knew that they really did exist and that there were, apparently, two factions within the Dai Li that splintered during the birth of the Earth Kingdom Civil War.

In an intellectual's perspective, it was a lot to take in—compared to those things she learned being with the Avatar, mainly because she felt that this was something more tangible and a bigger deal for the world that she knew. Because this was another thing kept out of history.

Asami wondered if Opal knew about her mother's involvement and about the Dai Li. It wouldn't surprise her if Opal did know—but only to certain extent. She doubted her best friend would know about Suyin being the leader of the Dai Li's Metal Clan (as Kuvira had called them) and that the reason behind their family being targeted by the Earth Queen was because of a kidnapping her mother had instigated.

She would have to go and have a talk with Opal once they return to Zaofu.

But, despite the mastery of the combat arts which Suyin's group were exhibiting, they were still few in numbers and the enemy, who were equal in skill to the majority of them, were endless. It didn't matter how many they cut down, more came in their place to continue the battle on their behalf.

Fatigue set in on the Metal Clan and had the enemy Dai Li members overpowering Lady Suyin's group. Many fell in the pool of their own blood as the Dai Li came relentlessly at them, for even when the Dai Li had killed their foe they didn't stop there. Some were bloodthirsty enough—no, barbaric enough—that they even proceeded to dismember their downed opponents. It was too much to watch and had Asami looking away, her hold on Korra's shirt never easing as bile rose from her stomach. The Prodigy was thankful for the little things though, like not being able to smell the blood and guts that were spilled.

"Humanity's brutality," Korra muttered. Asami glanced at her and saw only the hardened expression of the Avatar.

Seeing what their enemies were doing to their felled comrades enraged Kuvira. With a scream that was bordering on feral, the braided woman charged at the beasts in human clothing, disregarding Lady Suyin as she called out her name. The twin machetes that she had decapitating those who dared to disrespect their fallen, coating it redder with blood still.

As soon as she had killed them, Kuvira turned her sights on the incoming hoard.

"We can't lose any more people, Suyin!" she shouted. "We've given Zaofu enough time! You have to pull everyone back!"

Suyin looked from Kuvira to the others that were still struggling with their battles before turning around to where Zaofu was and Asami wondered what was going on through the older Bei Fong's mind.

"Very well," Suyin nodded after a second. "Fall back, everyone! To Zaofu!"

Everyone needn't be told twice once their order was given. Quickly they dealt and ended the one-on-one battles they were still tangled in, before pivoting and making their retreat, killing all the others that tried to pursue them. The only ones who stayed behind when all their other companions have fled were Kuvira and—much to her dismay—Suyin.

"What are you doing?" Kuvira hissed as they stood, their backs pressed to each other as they found themselves encircled by their enemies, all of whom looked nothing less than gleeful at having surrounded the two they considered leaders of the Metal Clan. "I told you to retreat back to Zaofu with the others."

"Since when did I allow you to boss me around, Kuvira?" Opal's mother scoffed. Through the slit of her mask they could see her roll her eyes. "Besides," she blocked an attack from their enemies with a single swipe of her steel bo as they thought to test the waters out by throwing a shuriken at her. "I can't very well leave you alone to deal with this mess."

"Ah, taking responsibility now, huh? That's good to know." was all Kuvira could reply with before all hell broke loose once more.

Once again, the pair demonstrated their prowess in battle, moving in-sync with one another. It became apparent to their enemies that they could not be dealt with by sheer numbers alone and that their victory wasn't as assured as they originally thought.

Soon, the opposition had found their numbers culled, a third of their forces felled by two battle-weary women whose eyes showed no signs of yielding. It gave Asami another reason to look up to Opal's mother who had earned the Avatar's respect, judging from the way Korra was looking at her. Similarly, she could say the same thing about Kuvira whom she had heard nothing about—not even from Opal—and didn't even knew existed prior to Mnemosyne's history lesson. It gave her a disheartening thought of the reason behind it, the reason why she was never mentioned or why she had never seen someone with such a stature as her during their stay in the small outpost leading to Zaofu and in Zaofu itself.

There was thunderous horn then. Korra and Asami couldn't figure out where the sound came from, and neither could the Dai Li. Suyin and Kuvira, on the other hand, seemed to know what the sound was. They looked at each other, relief showing from their eyes as they subtly nodded.

Their stances changed, tipping everyone off that something was about to happen. Before their enemies could do anything about it—or do anything about them—an explosion occurred, hitting those that were farther up near the peak of the steep incline that had become their battlefield. Then another. Blasting groups of their enemies sky high.

The Dai Li are being bombarded by Zaofu, Asami realized as she looked towards the direction of Opal's hometown and saw traces of the large cannonballs that were used coming from there. This was the reason why Lady Suyin kept glancing towards Zaofu's direction. This was their backup plan.

Dirt flew everywhere as the ground was disturbed. Trees were uprooted by the impact. Bodies flew whichever way. The ground cracked from the repeated battering it received. And as the chaos continued, Kuvira threw something on the ground that caused smoke burst forth and obscure their enemies sight. A smokebomb.

The moment the smokebomb obscured the Dai Li force's vision—if they were still paying attention to the two, masked women, for the bombardment continued—Suyin and Kuvira immediately made their escape, running towards the direction of Zaofu.

They were nearing the break that would lead them out of the mountainous region of the swamp and into the swamp itself when—for whatever reason it might have been—one of the cannonballs aimed at the Dai Li was short on its mark. Instead of hitting the area behind them, it came for the Suyin and Kuvira instead. The latter, not paying any attention to anything other than the few who had seen their escape and were pursuing them, failed to notice the incoming projectile until it was too late.

Kuvira barely managed to jump out of the way. The impact threw her off the ground and further back into the enemies' fold, knocking her breathless, her side hit by shrapnel and bleeding. Suyin, for her part, was left with nothing more than a few minor bruises. Both women, however, managed to keep their masks on their faces—whatever those things were made of, they were durable.

"Kuvira!" Anonymity was the least of Suyin's concern then. She could see blood pooling from the taller woman's frame. "Stay there, I'm coming!"

"No!" the braided woman shouted as she struggled to her feet, using her weapons for support as she stood back up. "Don't you dare!"

"But—!"

Kuvira craned her neck enough so that Suyin could—and, by extension Korra and Asami—see her glaring. Blood was dripping from behind her mask and down her neck. She was badly wounded. Anyone could see that even if Suyin could go to her and help her escape, that Kuvira would only slow them down leading to their eventual capture and even their death. And though no words were exchanged between the two, Asami felt like Suyin understood what it was Kuvira was trying to convey.

The leader of the Metal Clan balled her fists and closed her eyes for a moment, steeling herself for what she was about to do—what Kuvira was asking her to do. When she opened them again, her decision was made.

With one, final apologetic look aimed at the bleeding woman and a final word of "Godspeed, my friend," Suyin turned around and continued with her escape.

And though Asami felt that this was bound to happen, deduced that Kuvira would not survive this night, she still felt a pang in her heart, feeling for this strong woman who had done all to ensure the safety of her comrades despite not agreeing with them. Her eyes watered at the scene before her, as Kuvira turned to face her enemies even as the canon-fire rained continuously around them.

The ground shook once more and Kuvira fought to maintain her balance. The ground cracked, and before long, it gave way under her feet. The braided woman slipped and fell, sliding along with the Dai Li who had been pursuing her to the newly formed crevice.

Asami blinked and found herself with Korra and Mnemosyne at the bottom of the pit Korra had fallen into. Kuvira was sitting, slouched on the ground with her back to cliff's face. Blood pooled around her, flowing constantly from her wounds. Surrounding her were dead bodies of the Dai Li who fell in with her, though looking at them showed signs that they did not die from the fall but from the wounds of battle.

Kuvira, it seemed, continued to fight even amidst her injuries.

And though such a display would have dissuaded others to pursue her further; though her injuries would have been enough to cause her her death, the Dai Li continued to go after her. Going even so far as descending the pit, shallow as it was back then, just to ensure her death.

"Ancestors," they heard Kuvira speak, her voice hoarse as she tried to pull herself upright but failing to do so and falling right back to the ground and further injuring herself. "If you can hear me, answer my plea." Her hands touched the side of the cliff as she groaned and pushed herself further., leaving behind a bloody hand print where she had touched "Give me the strength—no, the power—to destroy my enemies."

"I don't wish to die here," she went on. "I will not...die here. Strength...Power...I need more...Just..."

As if urged by her prayer and her desire for power at the moment when death was fast approaching, Kuvira gave a loud, rebellious cry. With whatever last vestige of strength she had, she managed to pull herself up.

"Come!" She bellowed to the incoming hoard of enemies. "Come and I shall render your flesh asunder! I will not die here! Not tonight! I will not!"

Before she could cry out some more, an arrow struck her, flying straight and through. It hit her straight in the heart.

Kuvira gasped, falling down on her knees. Her weapon falling to the ground. A look of complete and utter shock visible in her eyes. No sooner after that, another arrow flew. This time it hit the middle of her brow, splitting the demon mask she was wearing in half, revealing her face to the world before she fell to the ground.

"A mighty warrior," Korra rasped beside Asami. "It was a heroic last stand."

Asami could only nod. She was much too wired with emotion to say anything else; to add anything else. She was in awe of the woman—of Kuvira's—tenacity, her prowess; her inability to give up and her desire to live, so much so that she was willing to call upon the dead and ask for their help. At the same time, Asami felt anger rising at her as the Dai Li encircled the corpse of the fallen warrior and mocked her, kicking her remains as they made fun of her.

"These people are animals," Asami finally managed to say, amid gritted teeth.

Korra nodded. "Agreed. But this is also from the past, there is nothing we can do to stop them from desecrating the dead."

"I wish that wasn't the case," the Prodigy blurted out, which earned her another strange look from the Avatar.

It took a while before the Dai Li finally had their fill of violating Kuvira's corpse. When they were finally satisfied, they collectively turned around and began heading back, out of the pit.

"I do not understand," Korra admitted as they watched the Dai Li began to leave. "We witnessed a battle and the atrocities committed by these humans, but that should not be enough to give birth to the tear that I saw. There are worst things done by humanity that could have warranted such a massive distortion. This does not answer anything."

"Pi-it-chuḳ itkanaiḳsuḳ. Naipiḳtuḳ." Mnemosyne surprised them by speaking, Korra flinched. It is not yet done. Watch closely.

"Naḳujuq," Korra immediately responded, bowing her head. I apologize.

As one they turned their heads back the unfolding scene. The Dai Li were still making their way out of the pit. No one was paying any more attention to Kuvira's corpse or those of the fallen members of the Dai Li. It was understandable, therefore, that no one noticed the bloody handprint left by the fallen Metal Clan warrior turning into liquid darkness; nor when tendrils of shadow began to slither out from it.

They didn't notice as these shadowy veins began to coil around Kuvira's dead body, engulfing her in a pool of darkness before letting themselves be absorbed in her body. They didn't see the dead woman suddenly brought back to life, standing on her own, two feet, the pallor of death no longer inking her skin.

They, likewise, failed to notice when Kuvira raised her hand—her palms outstretched to the direction of the retreating figures of the Dai Li—and summoned from the base of her palms a ball of dark energy, no more than the size of a grown man's fist. Nor did they notice her fern-green eyes turn into a darker, more sinister shade of crimson.

None notice these things save for the two people who were not from their time: Korra and Asami.

By the time one of the Dai Li noticed Kuvira standing and moving, it was already too late. The revived woman let the condensed energy in her palms fly towards her enemies. The ball turned into a beam large enough that its girth was enough to wipe out every, retreating figure in the premises before exploding upwards—taking with it the others who were undoubtedly lying in wait. None of them could even let out a scream before being obliterated into dusts.

The ground once again began shaking and giving way, yet this time Kuvira was not bothered by it. As the ground below her crumbled into nothingness and the pit deepened, the once-dead woman merely floated lazily downwards to the new base of the pit—now reminiscent to the underground cavern Korra had fallen into and Asami had attempted to rescue her from.

When her feet touched the ground, there was a brief moment when Korra and Asami saw markings around her body that shone with an eerie blood-red light.

The Avatar's breath hitched upon seeing it, recognizing the markings that adorned Kuvira's entire body—including her face. And as though Kuvira heard the sound Korra had made—impossible as that may be—she whirled around to the direction where the pair stood and were watching the events unfold.

And then Kuvira smiled, not pleasantly, but in a malicious way that had Asami stepping backwards and closer to Korra, who placed a steadying and calming hand on the small of her back. It was as though Kuvira could really see them; like she knew they were there. She looked at them with that virulent gaze for a second longer than Asami wished before Kuvira turned around and allowed the darkness to swallow her where she stood, disappearing and leaving the Avatar's Chosen shaken and the Avatar at a loss for words.

From where she was seen last, the only evidence left that what they had witnessed occurred was the rift that hung in the air, a foul tear in the plane of existence between realms.

"Naattuḳ," Mnemosyne spoke, her voice echoing as time began to move hurriedly forward once more to deposit them back to their own time. It is finished.

And yet, even as they heard such a declaration from the Spirit of Memory, Asami didn't feel relieved and she knew Korra felt the same way, because what they have witnessed was more than just how the rift was formed.

No. It was something more.

It was something much, much, more dangerous.

Post Chapter Notes:

The most difficult part, for me, in writing this chapter was making use of another language...and even now I am not that certain if I did it justice or if I got the actual phrases right. I've got no one to ask about it, and the places I researched left little by way of explanation on how to properly construct the sentence, so if I got it wrong and there are those who speak Inuit in attendance, I apologize. I tried my best with what research I could come up with, so send me a line and I will gladly correct whatever those mistakes are.

So, yeah, the "Ancient Tongue" language used here is the Inuit language. I had a massive headache trying to learn the language...or attempt to, so I hope it flowed well in this chapter...and in the future ones as I have established that as the "official" ancient language in this story.

Also, I'm not certain how many of you saw the "vision" Mnemosyne showed Korra and Asami coming, but I had been itching to write that for as long as the idea for it came up and I saw that it fit with where I want this story going.

I hope to update again before the year ends, but I cannot make any promises since (at the moment) I have gotten the flu (which sucks considering Christmas is just around the freaking corner). But I will try to get it up by then. So, yeah...that's about it for this update.

Thank you all for reading. I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter as reviews are the food for a writer's soul. :D

Have an amazing day, everybody!
Merry Christmas! :)