Let me start off by wishing a very Happy Avatar Day! It is the 14th anniversary of the debut of Avatar: the Last Airbender. I'm so happy that this franchise, along with the Korra series, have made such a legacy in animation. I also heard that Netflix plans to do a live-action series of the original series, this time with no involvement from a director whose name shall not be mentioned. Whatever the case, let's hope the Netflix series is better than that steamy pile of manure that came out in the cinemas!

And to celebrate Avatar Day, I hereby bring you the newest chapter of my story. I want to thank Taurus The Dragon, SaoirseParisa, and Maria Sato for reviewing the previous chapter. We are now deep into the battle with the Red Lotus, and you're about to see some real fireworks over here. I hope you enjoy this chapter and every solid bit of action that comes with it. Hang on to your hats for this wild ride!

Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own the Legend of Korra.

Katara and Kya scurried around the hallway, aiding as many injured as possible. They also tried to avoid any attacks from remaining Red Lotus members. Both were surprised that Tenzin asked them to assist in this matter, but both were happy to oblige. Knowing the stakes at hand, as well as the brutality of the Red Lotus, it was only right that they offered their assistance.

Kya ducked to the side as Bumi landed near her, sending a mini tornado at the assailant on the other side of the hall. It didn't help the two water bending physicians that some of the Red Lotus had firearms, meaning there was always the risk of an onslaught of bullets. Luckily, Bumi came up with the idea of creating mini tornadoes and firing them at the Red Lotus. That would disable their ability to shoot properly. Even so, Kya was hesitant about this idea. "Are you sure you won't blow the bullet right back at us?" she demanded, coating her hands with water again.

Bumi spun his body around, enveloping a large ball of air in his arms before unleashing it like a bowling ball. It slammed into the two Red Lotus members shooting at them from the end of the hallway. They were thrown into the air before their bodies flopped onto the ground. "I have to at least get those shots away from you and Mom," Bumi responded, waving at the rest of the military to capture the enemy troops, "If you have something better, then feel free to tell me."

"Bumi, Kya, now's not the time to argue," Katara called from the back. Like her daughter, she pressed her water-coated hands onto the injured individual. She watched intently as the wounds healed up, keeping her right hand on the patient. Lifting her left hand, Katara reached into her bag and pulled out a roll of bandages for Kya to use on her patient. "Tenzin gave us a big task to rescue these hostages, and I don't think infighting will help our cause."

Kya nodded absentmindedly, her attention more focused on wrapping up her patient's wounds. Meanwhile, Bumi signaled more medics to come forth, requesting that they took the person Katara worked with outside for more medical attention. "I know Tenzin would love to be in here, but the national security team wanted to protect his personal safety," Bumi stated, helping Katara grab some items before escorting her to the next injured person, "But then again, Jinora's in here fighting with us, and we know she can hold her own."

And speaking of Jinora, the youngest air bending master trotted into view with another group of hostages. "These guys all got out from the main ballroom, and it doesn't look like we have serious injuries," Jinora reported, shifting the torch from one hand to the other, "But the Red Lotus are still holding hostages, and Korra and the others are going after them."

Kya's eyes grew wide at that revelation. "Korra is still inside? Who else is with her then?" she inquired, sitting up the man she currently assisted, "I mean, I know her bending skills are close to unmatched, but even with those I think she's biting off more than she can chew."

But Katara, who proceeded with Bumi by her side, shook her head adamantly. "If there is one person who I know can do this, it's Korra," the older water bender insisted, tightening her grip on her bag, "I have faith in her, as well as all those who will support her."

Jinora brushed the hair out of her eyes again. The sprinklers showed no signs of stopping, but with the fires she used to set them off waning, Jinora knew it was only a matter of time before the sprinklers ceased. "Asami and Opal are with Korra, but I know Suyin and Kuvira are chasing after the other Red Lotus people," Jinora recalled, "And what's this I hear about the Northern Water Tribe having people supporting the Red Lotus?"

As Katara assisted the individual Kya helped earlier, Bumi quickly filled Jinora in. The older air bender described Unalaq and individuals wearing blue being spotted with the security cameras. "Interpol states that the Northern Water Tribe and the Red Lotus are pretty tight, so it's best to assume that all Northern Water Tribe people are foe," Bumi concluded.

Just then, a large wave blasted various Red Lotus members into the open. The United Forces immediately rushed in to apprehend the terrorists that were pushed out. It allowed a figure in blue to slip past in the far back, but a keen set of eyes belonging to a bearded man caught this act. "Hey, is that Tarrlok trying to escape?" Bumi pointed out with a long finger.

Kya lifted her head, just in time to see the backside of Tarrlok slip off to another hallway. "I think it's him," she confirmed, "He's still a suspect, so let's have military personnel tail him."

Bumi nodded. Immediately, he trotted back from where he came, hoping he could fetch Iroh. That left Jinora alone with Kya, whereby the air bender reached out to help her aunt sit the injured individual up. "So what do you think will happen?" Jinora asked the physician.

Kya shook her head. At this point, she wasn't sure what to believe. With Tarrlok on the loose and Unalaq potentially sending his troops to either defend the Red Lotus or hinder United Republic troops, things were going haywire by the second. Deep down, Kya was still concerned that they would be swarmed by troops dressed in blue, even though the United Forces were notified ahead of time of the threat the Northern Water Tribe posed. "Just be careful out there, okay?" Kya warned Jinora, "We want to get you back safely to your father outside."

"Jinora, there you are!" a voice called from the back. Jinora turned and saw Kai jogging up to her, his green eyes pooling with worry. "Mako, Bolin, Toza, and Yung were able to get in with the police. The lava bender ripped up the entire main ballroom, and we're still looking for Korra. And some of the candidates are still being held hostage."

Jinora bit her lower lip. Meanwhile, Bumi returned with Iroh and relayed his earlier message to the United Forces general. Seeing Iroh present, Jinora stepped up to him as well. "We have to catch up to Unalaq, or who knows what will happen," Jinora insisted, "What if Unalaq kidnaps the hostages and takes them to the Northern Water Tribe or something?"

"Don't worry, because your father and the cabinet are already working on something," Iroh reassured Jinora, "In the meantime, I think your uncle and I should look for certain suspects in this building, including a certain Minister of National Defence."

"And to think you served under a slime ball like him," Bumi grumbled before leading Iroh away. They shuffled past Kya, who got another patient bandaged up to be taken outside. "Let's get more troops to follow the Red Lotus senior leadership, since they have the VIP's."

As Jinora watched Bumi and Iroh march off, Kai tapped her on the shoulder. "I don't know about you, but I think we can help track down the VIP's," he suggested, "This is still pretty far away from any transport hub, so the Red Lotus and their Northern Water Tribe allies can't have gotten far. If we move out now, we might still catch up to them."

Jinora pursed her lips. She glanced over at Kya, who only nodded her head. It was clear that this was the moment Jinora wanted all her life, to lead the Air Nomads that would do her culture proud. No more sitting in ivory towers and preaching about change, because Jinora would make the change by protecting those she loved. "Let's do this, Kai," she decided.

The two younger air benders scurried off, not even noticing Katara return to the scene. After a quick check on her daughter, the older water bender hurried after Bumi and Iroh. "You should come along too, because I have a feeling they might require our help," she told Kya.

Korra could only cough and wave the dust away from her face as she tried to recover from that last battle. There was some success at the beginning, when Korra used the sprinkler's water to her favour and blasted the Red Lotus with the liquid. With Opal's air blasts and Asami's erratic but still effective shooting, the Red Lotus was on the run. And had it not been for the combustion bending of P'Li, the police would have been in here to back them up already.

"Opal, Asami, are you two alright?" Korra asked, struggling to climb over the debris to her friends. While P'Li stalled for time to allow the Red Lotus to escape with the hostages, Ghazan liquefied the entire floor. Turning it into lava, the lava bender sent that to the doors, completely blocking the police. It sent everyone not siding with the Red Lotus to the sides of the ballroom for cover. That bought the Red Lotus more time to escape with the hostages while leaving the ballroom in a mess. "You didn't get hurt by that blast, right?"

Opal slowly got to her feet, using air bending to shoot some of the concrete pieces away from her. Her green dress was now grey, covered by a layer of dust. "I'm feeling okay, but that was not a fun manoeuvre," she stated, holding the wall to steady her feet.

From nearby, Asami also struggled to her feet. There were clear rips and tears in her fancy red dress, not to mention that her hair was dishevelled. Korra genuinely felt bad for the engineer, who was the lone non-bender facing a group of specialized benders. Not only that, Asami had to fire two semi-automatic weapons, something she had no experience in. The fact that she could hold her own was already an amazing feat. "Never mind me, Korra," Asami called out, "Did you see which hostages they still have with them?"

"I don't know, but I think my parents are still with them, along with the president and his wife," Korra reported, trudging over to assist Asami. Korra's own clothing was in no better shape, as her midnight blue dress had various scorch marks or rips. Moreover, that was the fiercest bending battle Korra had ever been in, which was quite telling given Korra's immense talent in water bending. In any event, the battle was far from over at this point.

"But how are you faring so far?" Asami asked, placing a hand on Korra's shoulder. She figured that Korra was probably over-stimulated at this point, even though she was in her usual element of water bending. Despite her bending skills, Korra never had to use bending to fight for her life. Even when water bending was an outlet for Korra, allowing her to manage her stress in a healthy and controlled way, things were different when lives were on the line. With Tonraq and Senna still with the Red Lotus, Asami could only hope Korra could still keep her head on.

Asami glanced at Korra and immediately noticed the tightening of the latter's body, like Korra was thrown into a pressure cooker. Even when she inhaled harder and alternated clenching and unclenching of her fists, the water bender was clearly frustrated by the turn of events. "I won't lose them to the Red Lotus, not when I just recently reconnected with them," Korra declared, her eyes focused on the ground instead of at Asami, "Can we regroup and keep going?"

Before either Asami or Opal could respond, loud crunching from the doors caught their attention. Korra could not help but wince at the loud sounds, her hands instantly reaching for her ears and gently massaging the rims. The other two ladies faced the doors, just in time to see the police charge in. "Is everyone alright? How many people are hurt?" Lin demanded.

Asami immediately waved Lin over. The police chief trotted up to her niece, giving Opal a quick check before approaching the heiress. "I don't think there are any guests left in here, but the Red Lotus still has hostages," Asami reported, quickly giving Lin a rundown.

While Lin discussed with Asami, Bolin rushed up to Opal and gave her a big hug. The air bender was caught off guard by Bolin's actions, but nonetheless fell into his embrace. "I was so worried about you, Opal," Bolin murmured, burying his face into Opal's hair, "I just wish I could have been in here sooner. You didn't get hurt too much, right?"

Opal chuckled before releasing Bolin, giving him the same updates Asami gave Lin. Meanwhile, Korra was approached by Mako, Toza, and Yung. "We couldn't see you when that crazy lava bender ripped up the room, so we thought you got killed or something," Mako pointed out, wrapping an arm around Korra's shoulder but still giving her space. Seeing Korra's current body language, Mako knew it would take some time before Korra regained full composure.

"Kai ran off to help Jinora, and he just texted me something about seeing Tarrlok Yakone run off," Yung added, wiping his face from the sprinklers. Thanks to the flames going out, the water flow had decreased dramatically, making it easier for the pudgy air bender to see. Even so, Yung's body was still soaked and he had to adjust the grip on his phone to avoid dropping it.

Just the mention of that name caught Korra's attention. "He's way too calm when the Red Lotus was around. Hr was situated at the back of the stage when Zaheer was bringing hostages to the front to be executed," Korra insisted, brushing some loose hairs that dangled in front of her face, "Since we know he's got ties with the Northern Water Tribe, which implicitly supports the Red Lotus, it won't surprise me if he's linked to this whole thing. Why else would he not inspect imports at our warehouse, especially when there were stolen artefacts inside?"

Toza cursed under his breath, realizing the seriousness of the issue. With the Northern Water Tribe and Tarrlok both against them, they knew they had to fight together. "Assuming Kai and the others can get Tarrlok, what else can we do?" he inquired, "Do you know how the Red Lotus can take the hostages out? How many other exits are there in this building?"

"Don't worry about it, because we have that covered," Saikhan interjected. He trotted up to the group with Lin and Asami, waving a radio in their faces. "I just called backup to block off all exits, so there will be no escape. Plus, we have security footage to this entire building, so we can track where the Red Lotus are and how many hostages they still have."

Korra did a slight fist pump, the return of her confidence boosting her posture to a straighter pose. "Can we confirm if my parents are still with them?" Korra asked the police captain, "And how about my foster parents? Did they get out okay, or are they still in here?"

"Your foster parents, along with Hiroshi Sato, all got out, but I didn't see any footage of them leaving the building," Saikhan reported, "I know Yasuko Sato, who was assisting hostages with escaping, did get out, and we've already sent her to the medics."

Asami reached out and grabbed Korra's shoulder again. This time, Korra not only didn't shirk away, but also stared Asami in the face. "The United Republic means too much to me, and I want to defeat the Red Lotus," Asami decided, "And we'll save your parents, I'm sure of that."

Korra pursed her lips, but the sides of her mouth could not help but tilt outwards. She could not believe that, despite being such a chaotic day, there were still so many people who held onto hope. Even in the face of such danger like the Red Lotus and the Northern Water Tribe, so many people were still ready to stand with her and fight to the end. If her friends and family were not giving up on her, then there was no way Korra would give up on herself. Turning back to Asami, Korra mimicked her and placed a hand on Asami's shoulder. "Let's do this!"

Tarrlok hadn't stopped running since Korra invaded the main ballroom. He was lucky he was near the back of the hostages, giving him an easy escape when the bending battle began. A quick water bending slice later, and his wrist bindings were gone. While Tarrlok could water bend, he would rather keep a low profile at this point. With Korra exposing his secrets thanks to the ancient artefacts case at Boar-Q-Pine Logistics, Tarrlok knew his reputation was done.

Thinking back about his career, Tarrlok tried to hide his shady past and presented himself as a white knight. While he knew some of that might come up in the election campaign, he never imagined an autistic water bender who had nothing to lose or gain in this race would dig that up. While Tarrlok was glad that Korra's stunt allowed everyone to escape, he could never forgive her for all the damage she did to his career. "It's almost like she was born to be a thorn on my side," he muttered, turning into an empty hallway that led to a back exit.

"Tarrlok Yakone!" a voice called from behind him. Tarrlok whipped his head around and, to his shock, saw three figures stalking dangerously up to him. "I thought you'd run like a coward," Hiroshi Sato accused, his eyes downright murderous, "You thought you'd make it out and act like you're the hero? By the time I'm done with you, you'll be sewer scum!"

Tarrlok turned completely to face the industrialist. To Hiroshi's either side stood Varrick and Zhu Li, neither of whom had impressed looks on their faces. Tarrlok never saw them leave the ballroom, as they stayed to assist the other hostages off the stage. While it sure wouldn't look good that Tarrlok slipped out while those three stayed, this was not the time to argue over that now. "I don't know what you're talking about," Tarrlok retorted, "I just want to get out safely."

"Yeah, you get out safely while we risk our lives to save everyone else," Varrick shot back, marching straight up to the Minister of Public Safety, "Is that how it worked when you tried to frame my foster daughter for smuggling illegal goods or damaging military property? You're seen as the hero while stepping on and looking down at all of us."

Tarrlok pursed his lips. The last thing he wanted was to have these three go out with him, as they seemed determined to sink him at whatever cost. Glancing around, Tarrlok saw that the ground was still wet, which gave him the perfect idea. Rotating his wrist, Tarrlok gathered some water and hurled it at Varrick, slamming the entrepreneur against the wall before Hiroshi and Zhu Li could even react. "Like I said before, stay out of my way!" he snapped.

But Tarrlok did not expect Zhu Li to slam him right against the wall, her left forearm against his back while her right arm twisted Tarrlok's arm behind his back. "I kind of wish Korra was here to see this, since she probably wanted to do this to you for a long time," Zhu Li stated monotonously, "But then again, Varrick and I always taught Korra not to fight in school."

Tarrlok tried to push off the wall, but the smaller Zhu Li was surprisingly strong. Moreover, she had him pinned in such a way that he could not even overpower her. Varrick trotted right back up to Tarrlok with a huge smirk on his face. "I guess you didn't know about Zhu Li's amazing hand-to-hand combat skills, huh?" Varrick gloated, leaning his grinning face ridiculously close to Tarrlok, "And we'll keep you right here while we get the authorities."

Indeed, Hiroshi hurried right back with Bumi and Kya in tow. "I didn't know that Iroh ran off to search for Unalaq. I thought he came with you earlier," Hiroshi commented to the retired military commander, "Either way, let's subdue Tarrlok until the police can get here."

Bumi and Kya both saw Tarrlok pinned by Zhu Li and they couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. "I can water bend too, Zhu Li. I can help you corner him while Bumi calls for backup. But first, let me check if there are injuries to you, Varrick, and Hiroshi," Kya suggested.

Bumi chuckled as Kya opened her medical bag. In the meantime, he reached for his radio and called for Lin. "Chief, you're not going to believe this," the heavyset air bender reported, "We got Tarrlok Yakone trying to make an escape, and we require some officers here to take him into custody. It's time to investigate his ties to the Northern Water Tribe and the Red Lotus."

With Kya checking up on Hiroshi and Bumi still on the radio, it left Varrick and Zhu Li as the only ones with their attention on Tarrlok. The Minister of National Defence didn't want to do it, but right now he had no choice. It was either he revealed his dirtiest secret or he would be dragged into a police investigation which would damage his career permanently. Reaching deep into his arsenal, Tarrlok used a skill that he had not used and actively kept hidden for decades.

Using his still mobile left arm, Tarrlok focused on Varrick's body while flicking his wrist. Before Varrick could react, his body sank straight to the ground on its own. "Hey, what's going on? Why am I moving on my own?" he demanded, his body now a heap on the ground.

Zhu Li's eyes snapped away from Tarrlok, stunned at her husband dropping like a sack of potatoes. That let Tarrlok focus on Zhu Li, twisting her arms away from his body and weakening her leg muscles. "What in the world?" Zhu Li yelled, before sinking to the ground like Varrick.

Soon, Bumi, Hiroshi, and Kya saw what happened, and Tarrlok made quick work of them as well. "I never knew you were a blood bender," Kya groaned, her medical equipment dropped onto the ground as she felt blood rushing out of her head.

Tarrlok sneered at the Anil siblings and Hiroshi. "If there's one thing my father taught me well, it's this skill," he taunted the group, lowering both his arms, "Other than that, I was ready to be someone else. I had a perfect plan to be the nation's saviour by winning the next election. But now, my life is a disaster thanks to you guys ruining everything! That goes especially for Korra, so consider what I did to Varrick and Zhu Li as giving my regards to their foster child!"

With five people's blood bent out of their heads, they would be unconscious for at least a few minutes. It should give Tarrlok enough time to scurry out and away from police. He hoped to leave the country before he was caught, but his chances were dropping by the second.

"I thought I saw something unusual happen," a serene voice called. Tarrlok looked up and saw an elderly woman step out from a side hallway. She had a medical bag in one hand while her other held her cellphone, which was pointed in Tarrlok's direction. "If memory serves me right, blood bending was made illegal by none other than my own brother, when he was still alive. And since I just caught you on video blood bending those five, two of whom are my own children, I think I have grounds to hand you over to the police," Katara dryly remarked.

Tarrlok growled. There was no way this past-her-prime former physician could stop him. Waving his arms around, he attempted to blood bend her. But to his surprise, Katara did not react at all, with no signs of worry on her face. Gasping in surprise, Tarrlok swung his arms around again, this time focusing his attention on Katara's important joints, including her neck. Tarrlok didn't want to kill Katara by snapping her neck, but this was too strange to be true.

Despite this, Katara kept moving forward, her cellphone still recording the scene. By this time Katara was less than a foot in front of Tarrlok, the latter's look morphed into fear. "I think the show's over," she stated, ending the recording and lowering the phone, "That includes you."

With the cellphone still in her hand, Katara lowered her arm and raised a pillar of water. She pulled it right into Tarrlok's face, slamming him right under the chin with great velocity. It was like an uppercut from a champion boxer, and the Minister of National Defence was soon down for the count. "I think you forgot about me being a blood bender too," Katara stated, "But at least I'm ethical enough to not use it. That's why when Sokka ran for office and was appointed Minister of Justice, I lobbied him to criminalize it."

Taking Tarrlok's pulse to ensure he was still alive but unconscious, Katara then turned to her two children, along with Varrick, Zhu Li, and Hiroshi. "Now why can't more water benders use their skills for good, such as healing?" she commented, soaking her hands with water. Once she could move some blood back in the people's heads, it should make things easier for them.

"I thought the general went with Bumi, but then he split off on his own," Kai commented as he and Jinora hurried down a different hallway. They were following Bumi and Iroh in pursuit of Northern Water Tribe troops when Hiroshi intercepted them. Insisting that he required their help, Bumi decided to split off, beckoning Kya to follow. That left Kai and Jinora following Iroh and several members of the police and military. "Are you sure your dad and the police will be okay with you pursuing terrorists on your own?" Kai asked Jinora.

Jinora shook her head. "I'll be fine, Kai," she responded, "What about you? Will Yung be okay with you running off, even though he's still somewhere else in this building?"

Kai reached out, grabbing Jinora's hand and pulling her closer to him. Brown eyes stared into green eyes, and for a few seconds there was complete silence between them. It was like all the efforts they made in the past few months of reaching out and understanding each other had come to this point. "At this point, I'm going to protect those I love, including you and Yung," Kai declared with determination, "No more playing the victim and drawing sympathy for being a street kid, because this street kid is taking a stand today."

"And I'll be with you all the way," Jinora responded, gripping his hand just a bit tighter, "I want to protect those I love as well, including my family and friends, but also you. You mean a lot to me, and I won't let the Red Lotus do this to us. We will get out of this, and all of us, not just the Air Nomads, will be stronger as a result."

But neither could do anything further before another explosion could be heard. Kai and Jinora both glanced up to see the combustion bender blasting United Forces troops from the end of the next hallway, all the while Iroh tried to rally his team. On top of all that was nonstop gunfire, courtesy of non-bending United Forces troops and Republic City police engaging in a shootout with non-bending Northern Water Tribe troops. Sensing the danger, Kai and Jinora both dove behind a wall and huddled their bodies together.

"Got any ideas right now?" Kai asked, shielding Jinora with his arms while he ducked his own head. While Kai knew some of his former orphan friends did end up going into gangs, he had never actually seen them partake in gang activities, let alone using firearms like this. "We better do something or we'll probably both get shot!"

Jinora craned her head out of Kai's arms and glanced down the hallway. She could see P'Li, the tallest person in the group, blasting from the back. There were Northern Water Tribe troops surrounding the front, and that was what bought the other Red Lotus people time to run out with the hostages. Jinora heard that there would be United Forces troops stations outside to intercept, but they could not receive support from inside as long as this group kept stalling them.

Just then, Jinora saw the way P'Li is positioned as advantageous to her. With P'Li behind a wall of her own, she would be vulnerable craning her neck out to shoot. That meant the other troops lined in front of her had to protect her more than she protected those troops. And while P'Li could still curve her shots, she could only do so within the confines of this hallway, which meant she was unlikely to notice side attacks. "Kai, I have a plan," she proposed.

Jinora slowly slipped to the side, beckoning Kai to follow. The two air benders went into a side hall, away from the military and police shootout. As they crouched to the side, Jinora gave Kai a quick rundown of her thoughts. "If we manage to knock her off balance just when she shoots, then it'll misfire and damage the Northern Water Tribe troops," Jinora explained, "I don't think it'll kill any of them, but for sure it'll give our guys a chance."

Kai nodded. He knew that Jinora took after her father, taking the traditional approach that all life was sacred. This was significantly different from her uncle Bumi, who would not hesitate to take a life in order to protect more life. While Kai knew that any attempt to harm another person would make Jinora uncomfortable, he gave her credit in making this tough choice. "No matter what decision you make, you know I'm with you," Kai replied.

Sneaking in even closer, Kai and Jinora now positioned themselves across from P'Li. There was one hallway separating them, and Kai and Jinora had to hide behind a wall just to avoid being seen. From across the hall, P'Li hid behind a wall perpendicular to them, pushing her head out only to shoot combustion blasts while avoid the military from shooting her. It gave the two air benders a perfect chance to launch an attack. "So when she pops out, we'll launch an air blast together?" Kai asked, nervously tilting his eyes between P'Li and Jinora.

Jinora nodded, reminding Kai that they have to time this perfectly. They observed P'Li from their position, blocking out the sights of soldiers rushing back and forth and the sounds of gunfire and bending. They could see that P'Li had a tendency of peeking once before sticking her head back, allowing her a few seconds to control her breath before launching her shot. As the sequence was repeated, Kai and Jinora timed it to allow them to get into position. "When she does her breathing, that's when we wind up our air blast and aim for her legs," Jinora stated.

P'Li once again did her sneak peek, to which Kai lowered his crouch. As P'Li slipped back and took in a deep breath, both Kai and Jinora pulled their arms back. They could feel the air gather behind them, their energy increasing in sync with P'Li's energy. And when P'Li pushed her head out again, Kai and Jinora let their air blast loose.

To both their surprise, the blast worked to perfection. P'Li had her legs cut down from under her, causing her own combustion shot to hit a wall instead. The Northern Water Tribe troops were positioned at that wall, and the debris caused them to lose formation. While it gave the United Forces a chance to advance from their position, the same could not be said for Kai and Jinora. "Let's get out of here. This wall doesn't look stable," Kai remarked.

Unfortunately for Kai and Jinora, P'Li got back to her feet just as they stepped away from the unstable wall. Seeing the two air benders try to sneak off, she took a deep breath and aimed the next shot at them. Jinora had her back to P'Li and didn't see the act, but Kai caught it from the corner of his eye. "Take cover!" he shouted, throwing Jinora to the ground.

The explosive blast hurtled towards Kai and Jinora, who could no longer rely on the unstable wall. At this rate, even the shockwaves were enough to tear that thing down. As a last ditch effort, Kai shielded Jinora with his body and let out an air blast of his own, hoping that would lessen the damage. Before he knew it, there was a blur in his eyes while the explosion rocked his ears. He soon lost consciousness, with his body collapsing on top of Jinora's.

The footsteps of the police soon caught P'Li's attention, and the combustion bender sought this opportunity to make her escape. While the United Forces captured the Northern Water Tribe troops, the police could see Jinora and Kai in a heap. As the officers helped Jinora up, the master air bender could not help but gasp in shock. "Kai, are you alright?" she asked, shaking his body desperately and grabbing his wrist. Thanks to that blast, Kai's shirt was almost shredded, and she could see severe redness on his upper arms and torso.

When she detected a pulse, Jinora could not help but smile. Kai nearly gave his life in order to protect hers, and the least Jinora could do now was to get Kai to safety. Stepping back so the police could pull Kai away from the collapsing wall, Jinora pulled out her phone and texted Kya and Katara. If her aunt and grandmother were nearby, maybe they could save Kai.

"For a military group that you claimed you personally oversaw, they really aren't that reliable," Zaheer commented to Unalaq. The Red Lotus was now at the exit of the convention centre, with several hostages still in tow. Despite the Northern Water Tribe sending in military members to assist, it was clear that not everything was as planned. "Shouldn't we be on your ship now, heading out to open waters where the United Republic as no jurisdiction?"

Unalaq glared at Zaheer with an unimpressed look. "You should be grateful I'm sticking my neck out this far for you," the Northern Water Tribe chieftain retorted, "By now, the United Republic is aware those are my troops, meaning I have an international incident on my hands!"

"Hey, less complaining and more moving along," Ghazan snapped from the back, holding the zip-tied and gagged president, "Isn't P'Li joining us? What's keeping her?"

Zaheer snarled at his associate for that comment. It was no secret that he had a soft spot for P'Li, and he could get defensive over criticism of her. "Why don't you focus on making sure the hostages aren't running off, instead of shooting off your mouth?" he shot back, "Just try to keep those with bending away from any sources, or you'll have a problem in your hands."

Just then, the aforementioned combustion bender stumbled into view. "Things aren't going well, Zaheer," she reported, rubbing the third eye tattoo on her forehead, "The United Forces are closing in, and the Northern Water Tribe troops are no match. It's like everyone from the United Republic is fighting together, whether they be military or civilian. It's really crazy!"

Zaheer cursed under his breath, upset that things were falling apart by the second. His entire premise was that the people were being oppressed by the government, and they would take this opportunity to rise up against that. When he coerced cooperation from the Triple Threats, they did a good job of inciting unrest on the streets. But when it came time to overthrow the government, the public went the other way and instead rallied together against them. Was this a miscalculation on the part of the Red Lotus, or was it the Triple Threats' failure that caused this?

A series of gunshots sounding off from the back interrupted Zaheer's train of thought. Several junior Red Lotus associates just went down as a result, and the few Northern Water Tribe troops immediately returned fire. "This is Republic City Police! We have you surrounded! Release your hostages immediately!" the familiar voice of Lin Bei Fong called.

As the gunfire was exchanged, Zaheer immediately changed the plans. "Ghazan and Ming Hua, you stay here and hold those guys off. P'Li, you come with me and take the hostages Ming Hua currently has," he directed, gesturing to Tonraq and Senna.

Ming Hua handed Tonraq and Senna over, both of whom were, like Raiko and several others, bound and gagged. "Ghazan, you got any ideas?" she asked the lava bender, who gave the president up to their leader, "I'm sure you can put that lava of your into good use again, right?"

Ghazan chuckled at her before turning to the United Forces barging in. Stomping the ground hard, he waved his arms and turned the concrete into lava. With the gooey material at his disposition, Ghazan hurled them at the shooters from the United Forces, burning several in the front while forcing several back. It gave Ming Hua a chance as well, using her tendrils to gather whatever water was left from the sprinklers earlier and adding that to her arsenal.

Just then, a series of boulders shot through the lava and directly at Ghazan. The lava bender glanced up to see Toza and Bolin take the lead, the two standing shoulder to shoulder and staring him down. "We can't take the Red Lotus on when they're together," Toza called out, "Start isolating them and see if we can knock them out individually."

As if Toza became the police chief himself, Mako immediately blasted fire at the junior Red Lotus members. That got Ming Hua into the fray, as she countered Mako with water. It created a strange screen of steam, which allowed Mako to separate Ming Hua from the rest of the group. "The chief and I will accompany Mako," Saikhan reported, "The rest of the police and military, you try to take these guys down. The hostages shouldn't be too far away."

Ghazan, seething at their distraction, tried to send more lava after Mako. However, an air blast unbalanced him before he could act. "I still haven't forgiven you Red Lotus freaks for trying to hurt my boy," Yung declared with an equal amount of anger, "If even a hair on Kai's head gets knocked loose, then you hope I'll still uphold the Air Nomad oath of nonviolence."

Ghazan growled at Yung's cheeky comment. It was clear the others had the advantage, as the lava bending techniques took longer to set up. As long as Yung, an air bender, could be more nimble than him, he would be neutralized. That would leave the rest of the Red Lotus to be picked off by the United Forces. Grimacing again, Ghazan created more lava, this time covering the entire area. At this rate, he didn't care if his own people were collateral damage. He was intent on destroying Bolin, Toza, and Yung at all costs.

Frantically, Toza and Bolin tried to throw more concrete blocks before them, hoping to use that as a shield. Even Yung tried to fend that off with air bending, hoping the cooler air could solidify the lava back to regular concrete. But the lava was too strong, and it now crept up to the threesome. "Does he even care about his own troops?" Bolin hollered in shock.

Ghazan only responded with a chuckle. "There's no way I'm going down that easily," he retorted, stomping the ground again, "If it means taking everyone out right now, then so be it!"

Bolin and Toza edged back, and even Yung grew worried. The lava was now too wide and deep for any of them to counter, and at this rate the entire floor would be molten. At this moment, Bolin felt completely helpless, no different than when he saw Mako arrest Toza or when Ginger abused him in front of government officials. All his weaknesses during this time cost him several relationships, including the one he had with Opal. It chilled Bolin to the core, knowing that his weakness might just cost him his life right now.

But looking at the lava, Bolin knew he had to do something. He might not live past today if he stayed helpless, and he certainly would not die a coward. Halting his retreat, he took a stance similar to Ghazan's and, waving his arms in a similar fashion, tried to push back against the lava. It first got a laugh out of Ghazan, but the senior Red Lotus leader's face soon morphed into shock when the lava moved back against him. He glanced up and there was Bolin pushing back with great difficulty. His crazy plan to bend lava was actually working.

"Now we have a chance, so let's go on the attack!" Yung's voice echoed through the chaos. Toza immediately took the opportunity, sending a slab of concrete at Ghazan. It caused the moustachioed lava bender to immediately defend, which gave Yung the opportunity to shoot himself up with an air blast. With Ghazan's lava now being pushed back by Bolin, Yung aimed an air blast right at Ghazan, slamming him from above and sending him tumbling to the ground. The air bender landed on the other side of the lava pool, now receding due to Bolin's brave skill.

Ghazan struggled back to his feet, but it was clear he was on the defensive. And with the damages he caused to the Northern Water Tribe troops with his reckless move, the United Forces would close in on him soon. "That's it! I'm taking you all down with me!" Ghazan shouted. He stomped again and created an even larger lava pool, trying to throw it at those surrounding him.

"No, you won't!" Bolin yelled back. Throwing his entire body behind it, Bolin shoved the lava right back at Ghazan. Before Yung and Toza could even react, the lava sailed straight into Ghazan's face. Yung, who was closest to Ghazan, had the clearest look at the fear on the Red Lotus leader's face before he was covered with the molten material.

Ghazan could not even let out a scream as the lava smothered his entire body. Even with ability to cool down lava with air bending, Yung could only watch as the lava burned into Ghazan's flesh. Within seconds, there was nothing more than a mutilated body slumping to the ground. It was for certain that one of the four Red Lotus leaders was now dead.

Mako took the lead in fighting Ming Hua, an exchange of sharpened ice and fire balls zinging through the air. It wasn't really sure who was chasing whom, but the intensity of the battle was not easing anytime soon. At this rate, they were lucky the conference hall was not in worse shape or completely imploded with the elements slamming against the walls and pillars.

"Mako, be careful," Lin called, chasing down her star officer, "There's still water all over the place, and she can use it to her advantage." And just as this was said, another water blast was hurled the chief's way, to which Lin kicked up a slab of concrete to block.

Unfortunately, that only gave Ming Hua more time to set up. Using her tendrils to reach for the ceiling, she tried hauling down slabs of ceiling tiles down at Mako and the rest of the police. While that happened, some junior Red Lotus members started bending their own elements at Lin and Saikhan, who had to counter with concrete. "Do we have any backup, or are the three of us all on our own?" Mako called back.

Saikhan raised a slab of concrete, blocking the attacks from the junior Red Lotus members while reaching for his radio. "SWAT must assemble at my position, on the double!" he yelled, shuddering slightly as another large blast slammed into his shield.

At the frontlines, Mako and Lin alternated between fire blasts and concrete slabs. They could see Ming Hua pretty much using the junior Red Lotus members as human shields, all the while she gathered water from the back and hurled them from long distance. At this rate, there wasn't enough firepower from him or Lin to penetrate the frontlines, let alone getting to Ming Hua and damaging her. Would backup be useful if he and Lin were dead?

Just then, Mako had a spark of inspiration. Even though fire bending did not necessarily equate to flight, propulsion aided by fire bending was still an option. If enough of a distraction occurred at the front, maybe he could jet himself over the frontlines and aim right for Ming Hua. Turning to Lin, he whispered her plan into her ear, hoping she would consider it.

Lin stared incredulously at Mako, but also realizing that they were short on options. Pursing her lips, the chief changed strategies and aimed her concrete slabs at an angle, trying to keep the Red Lotus members from aiming high at them. It caused Ming Hua to alter her shots as well, as she was forced to aim high with her water blasts. "Keep it up," Mako insisted, just as Saikhan rejoined them, "It'll just take a few more seconds."

Saikhan glanced back, trying to gauge where the police and military shooters were. "They should be here soon," he reported, "In the meantime, what do you plan to do?"

Then, without warning, Mako jumped out from his position. Leaping into the air, the fire bender shot flames out from his feet and blasted straight for Ming Hua. He even managed to throw a few embers at the Red Lotus members he soared over, distracting them just enough for Lin and Saikhan to advance. By the time he landed, he was only a few feet from Ming Hua, all the while the military arrived with reinforcements.

Seeing Ming Hua in front of him, Mako unleashed a barrage of fire, the flames hotter and fiercer than any he had created in his entire life. Even though Ming Hua had water tendrils and more water source from the wet floor, it was clear she was on the defensive. "You have nowhere to go, and your water resources are limited," Mako sternly warned Ming Hua, "It's over now."

Ming Hua growled. Taking a gander at the still moist ground, she turned the thin layer of water into ice, forcing Mako to rebalance himself. While Mako was distracted, Ming Hua then created thin but sharp slices of ice, hurling them at the fire bender with great ferocity. With Mako and the police having trouble balancing, the ice slabs would only be more damaging to them. Not only would they be cut, they would be slipping several metres back.

But Mako had a new idea, one that would even the odds significantly. "SWAT team, aim your shots at Ming Hua," he called, much to the surprise of Saikhan and Lin. While the people behind him regrouped, Mako observed the scene before him. Most of the junior Red Lotus people were either dead or disabled, with Ming Hua being the only threat left. Readjusting his stance, Mako focused all the heat in his body to his feet.

To his relief, Mako's trick worked. The ice soon melted back into liquid, and after that it became steam. It only gave Mako the momentum, as he launched another volley of flames at the limbless water bender. With his arms and legs all creating heat, Mako turned this whole hallway into a sauna. "Now I guess this is what Korra felt at the warehouse that day, when she told me you Red Lotus freaks tried to give her an unwanted sauna," Mako snidely declared.

At this time, Ming Hua was on her last steps. Not only had Mako vaporized all the water around her, she was also running out of water for her tendrils. Mako's heat blasts basically turned her arms into steam, and the police's shots only threatened her further. Backing further and further out, Ming Hua ended up stumbling into a side room. As her body crumpled into a heap, Mako waved a hand at everyone. "Is she finally down?" Lin queried.

To the group's horror, Ming Hua came out with more water. "It's over, but for you!" she roared, showing at least a dozen tendrils. To Mako's shock, the side door Ming Hua fell through led to one of the bathrooms in the convention centre, which allowed Ming Hua to regroup. With more water tendrils, it only put their group back on the defensive.

But another thought just came across Mako's mind. In order to supply Ming Hua's tendrils, she either pulled water from the faucets or connected them to each toilet. With limited water on the ground in the hallway, it meant Mako could potentially disable, if not outright kill, Ming Hua. All he had to do was to hit the right spot and everything would be done.

Ignoring Ming Hua's waving tendrils, Mako launched the biggest fire blast possible, slamming the flames straight into Ming Hua's torso and sending her tumbling back into the bathroom. While Ming Hua regained balance, Mako took a peek at each toilet stall, confirming his suspicions earlier. Turning to his right, Mako jumped onto the area where the sinks were located, stood on the non-metallic surface, and straightened out his posture.

Mako launched a series of lightning bolts at each toilet, the electricity slamming into the waters inside. The force and power of each shot was so great, the toilets all exploded upon contact. Meanwhile, the electricity surged through the water and straight into Ming Hua, who shrieked in pain and convulsed uncontrollably. By the time Mako was done with his shots, Ming Hua was motionless on the ground, the smell of burnt flesh entering Mako's nostrils.

"Mako, are you alright?" Lin called from the door. The fire bender turned to face his employer, who also wrinkled her nose at the pungent smell. "I assume the target is down," Lin added, slowly edging in, "Officers, secure the site and arrest any Red Lotus member still alive."

As usual, my list of inspirations for this chapter is below:

1.) SaoirseParisa deserves a lot of credit for editing the second scene. This is where Korra was recovering from the battle, but found strength from her friends and family to carry on. As we agreed, Korra's autism makes her ability to cope with stress subpar. At this point, she is beyond overstimulated and is at a loss for words. That said, we did say that Korra enjoys water bending and actually finds it therapeutic for her to use the skills. Of course, she's never had to fight for her life using water bending, so balancing the high stress situation with the therapeutic part can be tricky. I'm glad we discussed that matter and hope this scene works out for the purposes of this story.

2.) Katara being immune to blood bending is from, of course, the original series. I figure that, despite the torch has been passed to Korra, Katara should still have a role in this story. All this goes towards my theme of humanity, which I still haven't revealed completely in this story, but for the purposes of accentuating this theme, Katara should get involved. I realize that Katara can't dominate Tarrlok the way she dominated Hama in the original series, so I had to give Katara her moment in a different way. So instead of a ferocious battle, I merely had her pull out her cellphone, record Tarrlok's blood bending sequence, and use that to incriminate him later on.

3.) I used a lot of medical research in this chapter, and hopefully all that is accurate. My usual medical/nursing resource couldn't help me this time, so I had to fly solo. I had to research shockwaves from explosions (Kai vs. P'Li), loss of blood to the head (Tarrlok vs. Hiroshi and friends), and body burns as a result of liquids (Ghazan vs. Bolin) and electricity (Ming Hua vs. Mako). It's not easy trying to juggle all these things, so I really had to reimagine some of the scenes. Again, I hope those with medical or nursing backgrounds can comment and let me know if I did those scenes justice.

4.) The deaths of Ming Hua and Ghazan are supposed to resemble their deaths in Book 3. However, I just had to change Ghazan's death. Ghazan can commit suicide and bring everyone down with him in a cave, but I can't imagine Bolin letting him do that at the convention centre with all those people. So instead of letting Ghazan burn himself to a crisp, I figure Bolin should just throw the lava in Ghazan's face and disintegrate him. The inspiration for this death: Game of Thrones, Season 1, Episode 6.

5.) Tarrlok claiming he learned blood bending, only to hide it for decades, is from "Skeletons in the Closet" in Book 1, where he admitted Yakone taught him that skill, but he hid it as a way to portray himself as a hero. Kai and Jinora using a coordinated air blast against P'Li to knock her off balance is from "The Battle of Zaofu" in Book 4 where Jinora and Opal did the same trick to Kuvira. Kai throwing himself over Jinora to protect her from P'Li combustion bending is from "The Ultimatum" in Book 3 where he suffered the same fate trying to distract P'Li so the other air benders can escape. Bolin stopping Ghazan's lava as a last ditch effort, and in the process learning lava bending, is from "Enter the Void" in Book 3 where he stopped lava in the same way. And Bolin rushing in to hug Opal, ignoring everyone around him, is from "Venom of the Red Lotus" in Book 3 where he did the same thing when Opal was freed.

A couple more chapter to go before this story ends. I'm really happy with I turned out so far. Hope to see you next time and take care!