Legend of Korra: Life
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights and characters to the Avatar Last Airbender & Legend of Korra Franchise, they are owned by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino and other respective owners and creators. I gain no profit from this; it's purely for fun. I only own my OC characters.
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Chapter 5: Dawn of the Unknown
''This is our moment to shine Zhu-Li!'' Varrick proclaimed proudly with his wife and business partner following behind, desperately trying to keep up. She knew that whenever he had a confident swagger in his step, no force in this world could stop him. Even as he struggled the carry the stack of paperwork folded under his arms and research equipment jammed into his backpack.
Zhu-Li eyed him amusedly. ''Are you sure you don't want me to carry any of that for…''
Before she could finish her sentence, Varrick turned sharply to face her. ''I'm sorry, Zhu-Li. It's not that I don't trust you because I do trust you. I trust you with my life! In fact, I have done on multiple occasions.''
''Then what's the problem? I can carry something.''
''Nope,'' He shook his head. ''You don't have to trouble yourself. I'm willing to hoist the weight of our unanimous brilliance onto my slender, rugged shoulders.''
''Even if it breaks your back?'' She teased.
Varrick chortled and turned back around. ''You act like I'm an old man. It'll take more than this to…'' A sudden cracking noise caused him to stop in his tracks and his body tensed. Zhu-Li rolled her eyes and moved closer to her husband, watching him try to suppress his pain. Droplets of sweat started to form as he croaked. ''Zhu-Li, do the thing, please!''
She placed her hands on his back before pressing down, gently at first. More forced was added until another crack vented from Varrick's back and he slouched forward.
''Thank you,'' He sighed.
''You're welcome, sir,'' Zhu-Li grinned light-heartedly. However, a thought came to her regarding Varrick's reluctance to let her carry their equipment. She scowled and placed her hand on his shoulder, stopping him from striding forward. ''Is this about the…you-know-what?''
Varrick's eyes bulged open. He glanced around the hallway as if trying to find something to distract them or turn their focus away from this subject. ''What? No, this is not about the you-know-what! What makes you think it's about the you-know-what?''
''You've become more overly-protective of me.''
''I'm an overly-protective guy!''
''More so than is necessary, and it's making me uncomfortable,'' She said glumly.
Noticing the tone in her voice and the way her body slump embarrassedly, Varrick felt a twinge of guilt stab him in the gut. He took a step closer, locking eyes with her.
Zhu-Li offered a warm if troubled smile. ''It's still early, you know that, right?''
''I know, I know,'' Varrick agreed. ''I just want to make sure we're taking all the safety precautions so that you can take it easy and not worry about over-working yourself. We both know that I may have…overtaxed you with duties before we got married.''
''And I do appreciate that, but like I said, it's still early. I'll have plenty of time to rest and take it easy at a later date. For now, I'm more than capable of carrying my weight around. Technically speaking, I'm already carrying more than my own weight around.'' Her hand grazed over her stomach, feeling the smallest of bumps, causing her heart to swell.
Seeing her like this, it caused Varrick's eyes to water and his bottom lip to quiver. For a man used to playing the game of acting and keeping his true emotions hidden, he couldn't ever stop himself from becoming a blubbering mess when he was reminded that he would become a dad soon. He smeared his wet face over his shoulder, wiping away the tears.
Zhu-Li saw this and couldn't stop herself from beaming. ''So, we're in agreement, you'll let me help you? Partner?''
Varrick cleared his throat. ''Right, I would, um…except…'' He tilted his head to the side, gesturing for Zhu-Li to look over his shoulders. ''We're already here.''
Right behind him, two large doors that led into the presidential office, currently sealed shut.
Zhu-Li smirked at Varrick. ''Very well, next time.''
''It's a done deal!'' Varrick spun around so that he was facing the entrance, acting as if nothing had happened. His swagger had returned as he strutted forward and peered over his shoulder to exchange a glance with Zhu-Li. ''Now, let's get these plans to President Raiko, I think we've kept him waiting long enough.''
Leaning back, he stamped his leg against the door as hard as he could, ready to make an entrance worthy of his name. However, it didn't go according to plan. The door remained tightly shut, shuddering a little upon contact. A few silent seconds rolled by before Varrick's head tilted downwards, hiding his face and the new tears that pricked his eyes. Unlike before, these weren't tears of joy.
''You have to pull the door open, sir,'' Zhu-Li commented.
A light whimper escaped him. ''Oh, that's not how it usually works…'' He said in a squeaky tone. She watched as he hopped backwards, his leg still hanging out and trembling. ''Zhu-Li, do the thing, please.''
Trying not to laugh at his expense, she walked forward, grabbed the gold-plated handles and pulled the doors open.
At the other end of the room, Raiko sat with his elbows on his desk and his chin resting on his cupped hands. Without a word, he looked up and beckoned the business partners forward. Thin, dark rings hung underneath his eyes and his chest heaved more noticeably with every breath. It wouldn't have been too outrageous to suggest he had been awake all night.
Varrick and Zhu-Li entered, with the eccentric genius hobbling forward and still clinging to all of his paperwork and equipment. The sounds of his erratic movements jangled throughout the room. Not the greatest of starts to their meeting, although, Raiko somewhat expected this when asking for Varrick.
They stood before the president, bowing respectfully, with Varrick almost losing his footing. ''Thank you for having us, President Raiko.'' Zhu-Li greeted politely.
''Thank you for coming on such short notice,'' Raiko responded. ''Part of me wondered if you could make it. Though, the moment I heard that racket at the door, I knew it was you.''
Unaware of the taunt buried in his words, Varrick smiled widely. ''Well, you know us. We like to let our company know of our arrival. You get some really rude individuals who just storm in and make a big show. Totally vulgar and ill mannered! Am I right, Zhu-Li?''
''Precisely, sir. At least you have the courtesy of…knocking.'' Zhu-Li commented coolly.
Raiko set his hands down on his desk, cupping them together. He kept a stern and professional look about him, even if he seemed uneasy and on edge. There was a guard posted at every window, blocking the incredible view of Republic City that stretched out over the horizon. To say he was taking safety measures seriously would be a severe understatement. ''I wouldn't have called you here if the situation wasn't momentous. After the attack by this terrorist, the people in Republic City are more terrified than they have ever been.''
''More terrified?'' Varrick questioned. ''I would have thought that things were hunky-dory before this Waterbender showed up.''
''That's what…certain people will have you believe,'' Raiko grimaced, his gaze dropping to the floor as he spoke. ''Ever since that new spirit portal appeared in the middle of Republic City, the people have been bombarded with more and more spirits.''
''Yeah, that kind of happens when opening a spirit portal. You get spirits.'' Varrick replied factually.
''The point I am trying to make, is that a door had been made with no regard for the consequences, and now we've seen the consequences in full display.''
Zhu-Li stepped forward. ''With all due respect, Mister President, Korra couldn't have known what would happen when trying to stop Kuvira.''
''I'm not looking to pin the blame on Korra, at least not her actions. More so, it's her reaction that has left me troubled,'' He muttered spitefully. Before he continued and said something that he knew he would regret, he paused and rubbed the bridge of his nose. The only response he had left on that matter of Korra was a deep exhale. He cleared his throat and looked up. ''Getting back on topic. If Shǔ can emerge from the portal and wreak havoc, then what's to stop more from doing the same? We have to find a way to keep things under control, or at least be more prepared for the worst-case scenario of a new attack.''
Varrick and Zhu-Li exchanged a quick glance at each other before turning to the jittery president. ''Well, you came to the right people,'' Varrick announced. ''We'll be the best fist, middle and last line of defence this city has ever seen. As long as we're not instructed to create any super weapons of mass destruction.''
Raiko shook his head. ''No, no weapons. We don't want to cause a panic or send the wrong message. We must remain strong, but not oppressive.''
''My words exactly!'' Varrick cried out and ended up dropping all of the equipment he held in his arms onto the ground. The loud clattered caused a few guards to jump in shock and lose their hearing for a brief moment. Raiko and Zhu-Li winced as Varrick fasted his bowtie. ''I needed to reshuffle our plans anyways. Zhu-Li, what do you think? Sorted alphabetically, or in terms of expense?''
Korra was beginning to feel short of breath. Her arm remained locked around Asami's waist as she leapt from tree to tree, not only trying to locate the largest branch to dash across but while at the same time keep a safe distance away from their target. Behind her, her friends used their Air bending to silently drift through the trees, gliding around the vines and trunks.
Shǔ rocketed across the surface of the swamp at blistering speeds. If Korra hadn't already encountered him, she would have just assumed he was moving so fast that he could run on water and not need any bending to assist him.
He was constantly on the move, darting in all directions and never slowing down. There were only a few occasions where he would stop and remain motionless for a few minutes each time. Whenever that happened, Korra and the others held their breath and stayed out of sight, shrouded behind thick layers of leaves. For them, it was like watching a predator on the hunt, especially when Shǔ slowly scanned his surroundings.
A part of Korra wanted to move around and catch a look under his black hood, but she knew that would only endanger the group. With so much water below them, Shǔ had the advantage. He had already proven himself a skilled bender. Even with Korra, Asami and a family of Airbenders, it would be a gruelling battle.
Once again, Shǔ sped down another pathway, further into the Swamp. Despite the incredible size of the marshland, Korra recognised this place like the back of her hand. ''I was right,'' She whispered to the group, who hovered onto the same branch she was on. ''He's heading for the Banyan-grove tree!''
''But why?'' Asami questioned. ''Unless he has a spiritual connection, it would be useless to him.''
''Perhaps,'' Tenzin chimed in. ''But, he could use the tree for other purposes. What it is exactly, I'm not too sure.''
Bumi shrugged his shoulders. ''Maybe he's not even after the tree. Maybe he's just lost?''
Tenzin furrowed his brows. ''Why would he come to the Swamp to get himself lost?''
Opal narrowed her eyes. ''What if he's not really after the tree? He might be luring us into a trap.''
''No way,'' Meelo waved his hand dismissively. ''He doesn't even know we're following him.''
''How would you know?'' Ikki probed.
Korra slowly shook her head. ''No, Meelo's right. If Shǔ knew we were following him, he would have attacked us. When I fought him, he was stubborn and refused to tell me anything about his plan. He wouldn't just lead us on like this. We're hidden, for now.''
Asami nods drearily. ''Then we just have to keep following him until we find what he's searching for.''
Opal gulped. ''Hopefully, Jinora and Kai.''
''Actually,'' Tenzin sighed. ''I'm hoping that's not the case.''
Korra's heart broke seeing Tenzin in such a distressed state. The longer they went on without finding them, the more anxious he would become. Having Shǔ one step ahead of them didn't help matters. Remembering Shǔ, Korra averted her gaze and started to summon a gust of wind around her and Asami. ''Come on, if we don't keep up we'll lose him.''
She took the lead, soaring onto another tree and following the ripples in the murky water below. The others wasted no time and were soon following behind. Their footsteps were light and delicate, brushing off the wet, slippery branches and moving onto the next one.
After a while, Korra had Shǔ in her sights, still bulleting forward. Somehow, his hood didn't falter in the wind. She groaned in frustration. The mystery of his identity was driving her mental. From his cryptic messages to his frightening water bending skills, and the fact that Korra couldn't seem to sense his spiritual energy at all, all these factors left her feeling worried. The path to finding a solution was unclear and Korra wasn't sure how she could sort this mess out.
Korra felt Asami's hand grip her shoulder. At first, she was afraid that her girlfriend was losing her balance trying to hold on. She peered over her shoulder to see her give Korra a soothing grin. Korra suspected that Asami felt her body stiffen as she drifted into her thoughts. She offered a reassuring smile back, letting Asami know that she was going to be okay.
Even if Asami wasn't convinced, she accepted it for now. They weren't in a position to have a conversation. But she knew that things would go much smoother once Shǔ was taking care of, and they had a better understanding of what Jinora was up to.
Suddenly, Asami's eyes widened and she stared into the distance. Korra had a feeling what that meant. She didn't bother to look as she stopped jumping and hid behind a branch. After taking a quick peek, she spotted Shǔ, who stood in the middle of a vast clearing. The only movement came from the ripples of the water beneath his feet. Just in the nick of time, the others noticed that the mysterious Waterbender had stopped and they froze, keeping as quiet and still as possible in the trees.
They waited, agonising, as he remained motionless. Korra figured that he was reminding himself of his surroundings before charting a new course that would take him closer to the tree. However, it was taking him much longer to move than before. Seconds turned into minutes, and the minutes drifted away like dust in the wind.
Asami leant in closer. ''What's he waiting for?''
''I don't know,'' Korra answered.
Bumi wiped his sweaty brow. ''Maybe he really is lost?''
Next to him, Tenzin held his tongue, only so not to risk being heard by Shǔ.
Korra narrowed her eyes and refused to look away from her target. Her jaw clenched when she saw him finally move. It was hard to notice at first, but Shǔ began twisting his head, fraction by fraction. Was he looking where he needed to go next? No, this was different from before. Whereas before he would turn his whole body, this time, it was only his head that moved. He kept turning, slowly. Korra tensed. If she didn't know any better, she believed that Shǔ was about to look up at them.
The Avatar examined the branch they were standing on, finding nothing that stood out. Her eyes wandered over to the others, observing them one by one. They tried to suppress their heavy pants, no doubt exhausted from trying to keep up with Shǔ. That's when it suddenly hit her like lightning. Her heart stopped as she watched a single drop of sweat trickle down Bumi's face. The sweat drop may not be within touching distance, but it appeared to be enough water to alert the hooded figure.
Reacting quickly, Korra grabbed Asami's hand and forced herself out of her girlfriend's grasp, bolting in front of the group just as Shǔ struck.
After minutes of slow, unbearable movements, he sprung to life and lifted his arm in the group's direction, sending a geyser of water hurtling at them. The water froze at the tip, turning into jagged blades.
Korra leapt off the branch and twisted her body around to unleash a wave of fire. The elements clashed, causing a fiery explosion that sent sharp, shards of ice scattering everywhere. Everyone took cover behind a branch, just managing to avoid the flying blades, as Korra dive down into the swamp to engage Shǔ.
As she landed on one of the thick vines resting above the water, Shǔ summoned a giant wave towards her. Korra countered with a wave of her own. A giant collision between the tsunamis sent water bursting into the air, blowing away the leaves and branches above them. The wind threatened to knock everyone out from the trees. They merely pushed the shockwave aside, causing the trees around them to blow and flap vehemently. Standing behind the Airbenders for protection, Asami looked down to see Korra and Shǔ stare-off.
Water started to spray down on top of them as if they were in the middle of a torrential rainfall. Korra didn't flinch. She kept her fists clenched and dared not turn away from her opponent, even as thick leaves and broken branches fell all around them.
Shǔ cackled under his hood. ''You are persistent, Avatar. That much is certain.''
''I'm here to find out what you're after and why?'' She barked
''You still think you can get answers from me. This is above your wildest comprehension.''
Korra gritted her teeth. ''You're giving me the same riddles as before. If you're not going to talk now, then I'll just have to beat the answers out of you.''
''You still think you can defeat me?''
''Well, you're the one who ran away from our first fight!'' Korra taunted.
Despite mocking him, she remained deadly serious. She knew that this Waterbender was out for her blood, and she couldn't afford to go easy or drop her guard.
Another chuckle came from Shǔ. He slowly advanced towards her, walking on the water's surface as his laugh bellowed louder and louder. His arms reached outwards, extending his gloved, pointy fingers. The water twisted and lifted upwards, creating two swirling vortexes that wrapped around his arms like snakes. Once they were fully engulfed, they grew larger and larger, soon dwarfing his body and elevating him into the air.
He towered over Korra with his shadow looming as the Avatar remained straight-faced and steadied herself for a fight. Shǔ's giant watery arms stomped forward, taking a few strides before coming to a halt.
Finally, his echoing laughter ceased. ''You have no real power. You're a shell. A false prophet. You cannot defeat me, let alone stop what is about to come. How will you fair against the oncoming storm when you have mastered only four elements?''
At that moment, Korra hesitated slightly. ''What do you mean only four elements? There are only four! So the world can maintain balance and harmony with nature!''
Shǔ remained quiet for a moment. Korra couldn't tell what he was thinking as long as he remained cloaked under his hood. ''Thousands of years the Avatar has existed, and yet you have the naivety of a small child.''
Korra hardened her gaze. She knew by now that Shǔ wasn't going to give her the answers that she needed. Actually, he seemed to just be filling her head with more questions.
Before their fight could start, Korra sensed something moving behind her. Fearful of it being a sneak attack, she glanced around only to see Asami zipping down using one of the vines. The Airbenders soon joined her, floating down and taking a stance on the vine next to Korra. The Avatar couldn't stop a small smile from tugging on her lips. However, as grateful as she was to now have assistance in her fight, she now had the others to worry about as well.
Shǔ must have known this because without saying another word, he raised his arm and shot a powerful jet of water towards them all.
Korra grabbed Asami as everyone used the wind to kick upwards and avoid the attack. The vine they were standing on breaking into splinters.
As Korra glided to the next tree, Shǔ mustered another sprout of water to block their path. Using her free hand, Korra sliced through the water with powerful flames. The steam it created kept the hidden as they landed safely against the tree, both grabbing a loose vine to stop themselves from falling.
On the other side, Tenzin unleashed a flurry of strong wind blasts towards Shǔ. The Waterbender used his giant hands to weave his body around, avoiding the blasts no matter how rapidly Tenzin fired them. Shǔ launched himself forward towards the elder master, attempting to crush him. Luckily for Tenzin, he leapt high above Shǔ's ramming attack, just as he crashed into the thick vine.
Shǔ bolted upwards, hoping to follow Tenzin, but was caught off as Ikki and Meelo roundhouse-kicked simultaneously, aiming a powerful gust at their enemy. Shǔ ducked underneath and pressed his watery arms against the surface of the vine, freezing it in the blink of an eye. The ice slithered up the vine, almost catching the young teens before they jumped to safety.
Elsewhere, Korra turned to Asami. The heiress grabbed her trusty, electronic glove from inside her jacket and quickly put it on.
Korra didn't want this fight to drag on for too long, putting one of her friend's live at risk, so she decided to go all-out right from the start. She closed her eyes and pressed her knuckles. When she opened them, a blinding white light shone from her sockets.
In the middle of the battlefield, Meelo had fallen towards the water. He crouched his body during his descent, waving his hands underneath his feet. A small ball of wind whirled, churning faster and growing bigger. Meelo had created a ball of air half his size and rode that along the water's surface. Shǔ gave chase after the boy, commanding icy shards to sprout up and cut him down. Meelo raced around the swamp, skidding around trees and dodging all of Shǔ's attacks.
Realising long-range wasn't getting the job down, Shǔ used his arms to jump up and fall over Meelo. Tenzin looked on panicked, fearing that his son would be crushed.
As the gap closed, it looked hopeless for Meelo. He then sprang upwards, leaping over the unsuspecting Shǔ with a confident smirk on his face. Before he knew what hit him, Meelo's distraction had proved effective enough. Opal used his air ball to land close enough to get a running start and vault upwards. She spun her body and kicked out, sending two strong gusts of wind that hit Shǔ right in the stomach.
The Waterbender growled painfully, clearly caught by the sneak attack. But, this only stopped him momentarily. He twisted his body around and upwards. Opal tried to glide away, but she wasn't quick enough as Shǔ slammed his foot onto her head.
BAM!
Opal was sent plummeting into the water below, disappearing from sight.
Korra gasped. Her blood boiled and she soared towards Shǔ. He caught sight of her, watching as she summoned the elements to circle around her. Small chunks of stone and pebbles that lie nearby, the water from the swamp, the air around them and fire emitted from her thundering roar. The sight was impressive and would intimidate anyone. Shǔ didn't delay, lifting his giant arms out of the water and clapped together to crush Korra. The Avatar slapped her hands out, blocking his attacks and the two were caught in a standstill.
While he was kept at bay, Ikki and Meelo dived into the water, beginning their search for Opal.
The longer they wrestled, the angrier and more frustrated Korra became. Shǔ felt himself being pushed back despite his size advantage.
Tenzin and Bumi found a spot on a trunk right behind Shǔ and used this as the perfect opportunity to strike. They opened their palms and sent two tornados ploughing into Shǔ's back. The Waterbender stumbled forward, and Korra edged closer, she could practically reach out and grab him.
Before she could get her hands on him, Shǔ yelled furiously and the water around him exploded into the air, turning into more shards of ice. Korra floated backwards to avoid the razor-sharp icicles. Tenzin and Bumi jumped off the branch, looking back to see it tear it to ribbons. Seeing such a destructive force, Bumi let out a heavy sigh of relief.
With that taken care of, Shǔ tried to turn his attention back towards Korra, but something else caught his eye. Right beside him, he saw Asami racing towards the water's edge and punching her fist into it. Sparks of electricity surged along, heading right for him. Shǔ broke free of his watery hands, swinging himself over to a tree and avoiding the painful electrocution. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a pillar of water into the sky and aimed it at Asami. She sprinted in the other direction, leaping over a vine and taking cover behind a strong tree as the water thrust past, almost catching her leg.
Korra flew towards Shǔ, stomping on the tree beside him and threw consecutive rapid punches doused in fire at him. Shǔ dodged to the best of his ability before he jumped off the tree and back on the water's surface. His talon-like fingers carved in and he spun around, glaring at Korra like a wild animal. In her Avatar State, she could knock him down, however, he was proving too fast for Korra to land a solid hit.
Shǔ prepared to propel himself into the air and come after her. Korra held back, hoping to come up with a new strategy. The Waterbender shot upwards. Under the water, Korra spotted a shadow moving around. The shadow increased in size before splitting into three. Bursting out from the water were Meelo, Ikki and a conscious Opal. At the rate they were going, Shǔ had no time to move out of the way. The three of time aimed wind blasts and smacked him hard.
He was now careering towards Korra, who saw this as her moment. She dived forward, cupping her arms inward and when she was close enough, speared him with a mighty hurricane. Shǔ shot down, bouncing off the water's surface and skidding along. He smashed into a vine and tumbled onto a muddy patch of land. Korra could see that he wasn't as quick to get back up, clearly hurt and finding himself beaten. But, she knew that they couldn't let up, not when they had him on the ropes.
Using all her power, she sped towards him. The ground quaked and threatened to sink into the swamp as she flew over it. As she got closer, Shǔ pushed himself up and gathered whatever water was near. Droplets from the vines and trees circled around his body, shielding him. His arms moved like a blur as he prepared to attack.
He widened his stance. What he failed to notice was Tenzin and Bumi gliding from both sides and kicking a wave of wind, hitting him on both his arms and breaking his protective shield. Not letting up, Asami jumped over a vine and punched her fist into the ground, electrical waves zapping the wet surface and towards Shǔ. A deafening scream hollered from the Waterbender once the surge hit. His body jolted violently and he was left with no way to defend himself.
Korra landed on the ground right in front of Shǔ, shaking everything around her. Waving her arms forward, a tidal wave of mud and stones crashed into Shǔ, covering him and knocking him back against a thick oak tree. The sound of the crash echoed all throughout the Swamp and the ground under the Avatar broke open. Korra knew that was it, no human could take that level of punishment, even someone as strong as Shǔ.
She stepped forward before the mud had even hit the floor, hoping to grab him this time. However, as she got closer, she noticed something was off, both figuratively and literally. The mud fell sporadically meaning she couldn't properly see him. Time seemed to crawl. The first thing she noticed was he was standing back up, his hands waved upwards to keep the fight going. That's when she saw it…his hood had come off. She pushed the mud out of the way, hoping to see Shǔ's face…and it was a face she would not be forgetting anytime soon.
The others also were taken back by what they saw, wide-eyed and standing with jaws dropped to the ground.
A thick layer of black fur runs down his elongated nose with white and grey whiskers protruded on either side. Two serrated teeth dripping behind a sinister smile. And Korra's pure white eyes found themselves staring into black, soulless ones. Shǔ's face was not a human face. It was the face of a rat.
''You're…a spirit?'' Korra gasped.
Without a word, Shǔ extended his arm. Water from the swamp washed over his hand and up along his arm before freezing solid. His fingers scrunched and the tips sharpened.
''Korra!'' Tenzin cried out frenziedly.
Korra noticed what Shǔ was doing and jumped away whilst reverting out of the Avatar State.
SLASH!
She grunted in pain and slid across the ground, her heels digging into the mud. A sharp bolt of pain in her abdomen caused her to collapse to her knee as everyone was left powerless to do anything. Korra bit her lip, hissing loudly. When she looked down, she cupped her hand over her new scars and pulled back, unnerved to see the palm red with blood.
As she glanced back up, Shǔ bared his teeth and charged at her.
To Be Continued…
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