I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
And I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, Oh Lord
Can you feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord

Well, if you told me you were drowning
I would not lend a hand
I've seen your face before my friend
But I don't know if you know who I am
Well, I was there and I saw what you did
I saw it with my own two eyes
So you can wipe off that grin,
I know where you've been
It's all been a pack of lies

And I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
Well, I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord
And I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord, oh Lord

Well I remember, I remember don't worry
How could I ever forget,
It's the first time, the last time we ever met
But I know the reason why you keep your silence up,
No you don't fool me
The hurt doesn't show
But the pain still grows
It's no stranger to you and me

And I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
Well, I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord
But I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
But I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord
But I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord, oh Lord

"In the Air Tonight"- Phil Collins

The song is suitable for a character here. It may not be the one you think.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

The question took its time as it made its way across the table. Bolin took a swig of his beer and had a good think about his reply before he opened his mouth to respond.

"I… wanted to apologise. For everything."

Mako rubbed his fingers against the side of his own bottle in contemplation. "You don't have to."

"I know," Bolin said, putting his own bottle down. "I'd like to anyway. I've got quite a few things to say and you're the only person I can say them to."

"Why?" Mako moved forward in concern. "What do you mean? Is Opal okay?"

"Oh, she's fine," Bolin put his hand up toward his brother. "She's better than fine actually," he smiled. "She woke up earlier today. She'll be out of commission for a while but the doctors are saying she'll make a full recovery."

"Oh good," Mako gasped in relief, one hand clutching his chest. "Great! That's great news, Bo. Really, I can't tell you how worried I was for you and her."

Bolin smiled to himself. "Yeah, me too," he said. This kind of conversation hadn't occurred too often lately. Two brothers, having a beer, bantering back and forth. It brought back memories of happier times. Bolin made a silent promise to himself to make sure they had more of these.

But that wasn't why he asked Mako for a drink after Korra's display. There was something he needed to get off his chest.

He opened his mouth to speak, but then he hesitated. He looked up to see Mako, leant forward with a look of understanding on his face. "Take your time. We've got all… well, we've got till nine," he amended, glancing at the clock in the bar. "Either way, we've got time. Say what you need to say."

Bolin nodded, before hastily taking a breath. It was frustrating. He knew what he wanted to say but it was difficult to put it into words. Putting his hands flat on the table in preparation he tried to measure out what he was going to say.

"I'm sorry, Mako, for my behaviour the past few days. I'm sorry for, spirits, stabbing you with a damn knife. I'm sorry for constantly shutting down at every mention of Shin La or Korra. And, well, I'm sorry about Lin. I was so angry and worried that I never stopped to think about how you were doing through all this. I don't think I've been the best brother I could have been."

Mako nearly choked on his drink. "That's nonsense," he dismissed. "We all have our dark times. And the past few days have been darker than most. The knife? That was Shin La. Your anger? Also Shin La. If anything, I've been a bad brother. Instead of supporting you we've been arguing, and that only makes the fighting worse. And as for Lin…" a solemn look crossed his determined features for a second. "There was nothing we could have done. Any of us."

Bolin managed a weary smile. "We do like to fall on the sword, don't we?"

Mako held out his bottle. "Yep."

The refreshing drinks clinked together momentarily before they both took a long swig. "So, how is Lin?" Bolin asked, leaning forward in anticipation of an answer. He may not have been as close to her as Mako was, but that didn't mean he wasn't concerned for her wellbeing. What he had heard before was unsettling.

"Healing," Mako answered, his eyes drifting down to the table. "Still comatose though. Might have lost the use of her legs too. So… not good," he finished lamely.

"Damn," Bolin said quietly. Mako could only nod at the sentiment.

Silence reigned for a few moments, as both brothers let their thoughts wander onto other things. Things that didn't involve tragedy and violence. Those commodities were becoming increasingly rare nowadays.

Bolin's gaze took him through the window and out over the yawning skyline of Republic City as the sun began to set just over the horizon. Golden streaks flexed with purple dominated the sky, the soft glow of the sun humming over the city. "It's scary, isn't it?"

Mako was caught unawares. "Huh?"

"It's scary," Bolin repeated. "How easy it is for Shin La to mess with us like that. I mean, the only reason me and you are still here to even talk about this is because he wanted to torture us first. That whole night he could have killed us anytime he wanted. He could have visited Lin and finished the job, if he really wanted to. Same with… Opal," he swallowed nervously. That particular fact was a truth that he didn't want to entertain. "Seriously Mako… why hasn't he killed us yet?"

The man in question scratched his chin in concern. "He's vain," he answered, his expression troubled. "And he's evil. A bad combination. Every second he has us at his mercy is another moment to taunt, or to gloat. Ultimately, the reason we're alive is because he's not done with us. Who knows what he could do next."

"And that's the part that terrifies me," Bolin muttered. "It's never going to be enough for him. Like, we've both been inside the belly of the beast. This thing is sadistic. Killing Zaheer wasn't enough. Brutalising you and Asami wasn't enough. Beating Lin to within an inch of her life and forcing Korra to do the same to Opal was not enough. And we don't know how to stop him."

Mako looked at his brother. He'd never seen him so helpless before. He was looking at Mako like he was the only one in the world who could answer him. And Mako, the detective, the man with a plan, had nothing.

"I don't know what to say," Mako shrugged, swiftly downing the rest of his beer. The cool liquid helped soothe his burning throat from all the stress. "I don't think the words exist to describe the situation we're in right now."

"How about 'fucking' and 'nightmare," Bolin supplied, sharp as a tack. Mako rolled his eyes but underneath his guise he approved of the obscenity. If Bolin was being this sarcastic again it meant he was recovering, becoming more like his regular quipping self.

"Not the best but not exactly wrong," Mako replied. His beer was rapidly becoming a lot lighter. "Come on, we should go before the sun goes down," he said, getting his wallet out to pay for the beers.

Bolin stopped him. "I'll get this," he assured him. "Call it a brother's favour."

Mako would go on to insist that he pay, but the sentiment was not lost on him. It felt good to be able to talk to his brother again. Hell, he was glad he had him back.

For the first time in a while, both brothers went home to their apartment, instead of the rickety old chair at the hospital.

Graves.

The foggy dew enveloped the landscape, almost draining the terrain of scenery. Moss covered stones and lush, wet grass squelched underfoot as Korra walked slowly through. It looked kind of picturesque, something you would capture and put on a post card. But the thick fog was claustrophobic, like it was hiding the environment in plain sight and keeping her boxed in, focused only on the graveyard.

All this mist hanging in the air, and all she could see were graves. They went on for miles and miles, mass amounts of tombstones and burial sites spanning over the horizon. She shivered, from the cold or the implied amount of death she didn't know. The vapour clung to her form like a second skin, and the air was thick yet thin, taking up all the space in her throat but providing not nearly enough oxygen.

There was a procession of people ahead. Some were dressed in white, others in black. All of their clothes were formal, ceremonial even, and unique to their nation. Each and every person had their heads bowed low, veils covering the women's faces and top hats disguising the men's.

The setup was ritualistic. The crowd were gathered in a circle, all looking down into an open grave. And in the centre, a man distinguished from the rest, began to speak.

She could see his mouth move but she couldn't hear the words. The air became more crisp, the chill of the fog setting in. A deep unsettling feeling pooled in her stomach.

It was like she was being possessed. She didn't want to move but she felt her legs carrying her against her will towards the hole in the ground. The circle of people opened up and allowed her through.

The open grave became a yawning pit, deeper and darker than anything imaginable. Fight or flight kicked in and she wanted to flee but her limbs wouldn't obey. An invisible barrier locked her in, and the circle of people closed, sealing her inside.

The man in the centre raised his head. His expression was solemn, but his eyes were alight with menace. "And so we say, rest in peace," Shin La said. And the entire procession showed their faces as he finished.

The words pierced through her like a dagger. Or maybe that was the screaming pain emanating from her side. She looked down to see a knife embedded in her side. The woman holding the blade was twisting it to amplify her pain. Already, blood was starting to drip from the wound.

Korra looked at her in horror.

The woman was Asami, only not. Her eyes were dead, all of the light in her irises replaced by emptiness. Her face was emotionless, with just a hollow, fixed expression of complete ambivalence as the blade dug deeper in her flesh.

The world was silent. Korra didn't even hear her own rasping gasp, nor the dull thud as she fell face forward into the grave. She hit the ground on her side, so she was still able to see her killers. If she could make a sound it would have been one of shock.

Mako and Bolin were throwing dirt onto her body. Asami dropped the knife into the ditch, while Shin La continued to read from an old book as they all gathered around him to stare as she was buried alive.

Her father. Her mother. A baby, cradled in between them. Her friends, her family, all watching her choke on the earth. Standing by and letting her die.

She couldn't move. Only her pupils maintained any movement. And the brisk cold bore into her skin as the earth encompassed her, claiming her soul as its own, swallowing her whole. And the whole time, all she could see was Shin La smiling down at her.

The fog seeped in. The mud piled up. All semblance of light vanished as the shallow grave was finally complete. She could sense she was choking, suffocating, but there was nothing she could do. She was paralysed and she realised that this was how she would die. Confused, tired and alone.

She-

Korra gasped suddenly, her whole body bolting upright as she frantically breathed in and out. Her eyes were wide, and her fingers were clenching the sheets so tightly she thought she'd ripped them. Her hair was matted against her face, the sweat clinging to her body as she came down from the nightmare. Her thoughts has been whipped into a hurricane, and she needed a good couple of minutes before she could properly calm herself.

She looked down at her palm. It was smoking again.

Naga was ever alert to her stress. Within a second she had bounded over to her master's side, her tongue wagging wildly, like she could remove the Avatar's pain with just her presence. The soft fur and gentle pants of the dog brought a warm sense of the familiar, and Korra leaned in to her canine companion as her respiration resumed as normal.

Another nightmare. The third in three nights. The fact that they were fast becoming the norm and not the exception was alarming.

With a sigh, she brushed the bed covers aside and got out of bed. She wasn't looking forward to seeing her face in the mirror as she walked to the bathroom.

True enough, a tired, sunken expression greeted her as she saw her reflection. Dark bags hung just under her eyelids. Her pupils were surrounded by red blotches. She yawned and found herself continuing to do so for at least a minute.

How many hours had she actually got in the past few days? The answer was probably in single digits.

Splashing a bit of water on her face brought her a measure of relief. Sometimes little acts like that helped her to discern whether she'd truly woken up or if she was being led down another dark dream. If she focused hard enough, she swore she could hear his voice whispering sometimes, taunting her with promises of doom and destruction. Wearily, she left the bathroom and entered the kitchen.

The morning sun shone promisingly through the window, but the warmth she'd felt in the past few weeks was absent. Autumn was beginning to set in, and while the weather hadn't taken a turn yet, it would. Already a chill had begun to creep in during the night.

For some puzzling reason, Jinora was the only one present at the kitchen table. "Where is everyone?" Korra yawned again, her sleep addled mind not fully awake yet. Her voice was scratchy.

"Everywhere else," the young girl replied. "Dad's gone to some emergency council meeting. Mako, Bolin and Asami didn't return home last night, so I'm guessing they spent the night where they usually live. Mom's taken the boys and Ikki out to do some gardening. So it's just us for the time being."

"All right," Korra nodded, heading over to the fridge to get some breakfast. The way she hung her head and the telltale signs of unrest tipped the young airbender off immediately.

"Rough night?" she asked, still holding a mug of tea.

Korra glanced back at her. "Yeah," she replied. "You were right. He keeps popping up in my dreams. It's gotten to the stage where I'm lucky if I get any sleep at all."

Jinora whistled. "That bad?"

"Worse."

Jinora sipped her tea, pondering a possible solution. Having finished boiling the kettle with her firebending, Korra joined her on the kitchen table. "So, how have you been, Jin?" she asked, hoping to deflect the attention from herself.

"I'm okay. I mean, Shin La hasn't come after me yet, or my family, so that's a plus," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I was talking to Kai there actually. You know, with the spirit transportation thing I do. It was nice to see his face again. Kind of have to remind yourself what we're fighting for."

Korra studied her. "Where is he? Did you tell him what's been happening here?"

"The Earth Kingdom," Jinora responded. "And… no. I didn't. If I did, he'd only want to come back, and that would just put him in danger. And… I don't want to give Shin La another target. Besides, they need him more than we do."

Korra felt a stab of doubt echo in her heart. Rationally, she knew why Jin didn't want him facing the same menace as they were. But that feeling of helplessness, of not being able to protect the ones closest to her, that feeling kept rearing its ugly head.

She doesn't trust you to protect her. She knows you can't.

Noting her silence Jinora decided to take the reins of the conversation. "Say, have you tried meditating?" she asked, waving her hand at the possibility. "Maybe that'll help."

Korra thought about it for a minute. "I don't know," she wondered. "The Avatars are back but the connection is still murky. And I don't think any of them have faced a threat like Shin La before."

"Maybe not. But what about that Avatar that Dad mentioned before? You know, the one that nearly killed Koh? He doesn't seem like a bad idea. From what I've heard about Koh, you could use the advice."

Korra sat back for a second. That possibility she hadn't considered. Yet it made perfect sense. She needed as much information as she could get. Who else better than the man who nearly killed him?

"Thanks, Jin," she smiled, getting up off the table. "You're right, that's a great idea! I'll get to it right away." With that, she skipped out of the kitchen.

Not a second had passed before Korra stuck her head back in as Jinora finished her tea. "Say, you wouldn't mind helping me, would you?" she asked, her expression questioning but hopeful. "It's just, well… even though I'm the Avatar, you're more spiritual than I'll ever be. I could use it," she added bashfully.

"Sure," Jinora grinned. "It's better than listening to Meelo all day. Where do we start?"

"We are here today to discuss a very urgent issue. And we can wait no longer. Let the meeting commence."

The congressional chairs squeaked against the floor as everyone in the room took their seats. The conference hall echoed with the sound, as the members rustled their papers and eyed their co-workers meaningfully. The desk arced like a circle, so they could all communicate clearly. Tenzin gathered his robes in a bundle and shoved them under the desk so he could get more comfortable as President Raiko took the floor.

"There has been a plague corrupting our city of late. A plague that, up until now, I have been blind to. I can be blind no further. Last night, this being known as Shin La made a very clear, public statement of ill intent. He made a challenge against the Avatar and a challenge against Republic City. As its leaders, we must act. Otherwise we risk losing our city to this demon."

A powerful opening message. Tenzin certainly thought so. Whether he had the clout to back it up was another thing entirely.

Quan Li, the water tribe representative, piped up. "I agree. He made it very clear how little he thinks of us. We must make a suitable reaction." She looked around the room expressively, seeing nodding heads and clasped hands in agreement.

Tenzin however kept his hands on his knees. He looked ahead only to President Raiko, who seemed to be in a similar state of contemplation. It was easy to say, but not easy to do. And as no one continued the conversation and the room lapsed into silence, there was only one question left hanging in the air.

How?

The newly installed earth representative shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "So, what do we do?" he asked, opening his arms out wide to emphasise his point. He'd only been seated in the council for a few weeks and already disaster was threatening to strike. He preferred his original position in the Earth Kingdom, the one he'd had years ago; licking the boots of the now deceased monarch.

That was Tenzin's opinion of him anyway, but the question that arose from his lips was a valid one. And pretty much no one had the knowledge or idea how to answer it.

Inevitably, Raiko turned to the airbender. "Tenzin. You are the only one here who has actually seen this fiend in action. What decision would you best recommend?"

Tenzin scratched his beard thoughtfully. "A public statement condemning Shin La, possibly on the same radio platform he used to threaten Republic City would be a good start. Holding an actual event so people could see you make an announcement in the flesh would help ease fears. But most importantly, only in the light of day. That is the only time it is safe."

Quan Li coughed. "Isn't that counter-productive?" she asked. "If we play by, let me call him what he is, a terrorist's rules aren't we undermining ourselves? The message will be lost if we are only willing to display it where he cannot reach us."

Tenzin gave her a rueful smile. "Quan, you have not seen what I've seen. There is no place he cannot reach. Giving this speech is risky. Doing it at night is suicidal. If Shin La murders our president while he attempts to calm us, that would be particularly undermining, now wouldn't it?"

Rian, the earth kingdom rep, sided with Quan. "I think you put too much stock in his menace, Tenzin. What, should we allow ourselves to be crippled by fear? So terrified of the dark that we put all plans on hold once the sun goes down? No, we are leaders. The man previously in my position must have been a coward, because this council has rolled over one too many times. It has surrendered to Amon and it has surrendered to Kuvira. We shall not do the same to one spirit."

"Spoken like someone who has clearly no experience with spirits," Tenzin replied, his voice cool but the first flares of anger undoubtedly starting to shine. "Out here, we have to actually rationalise and think about what we do. How's the Earth Kingdom been doing lately? I heard it's actually starting to thrive without your poisonous influence."

Tenzin was not a petty man, but even he could not hide a hint of a smirk as Rian sputtered like a coal train. His face grew red like a ripe tomato, and if you looked closely the airbender swore he could see steam seeping out of his nostrils. "How dare you-"

"That is enough," Raiko stated, raising his hand to silence him. He looked at both men wearily, before scanning the room. The politician representing the Fire Nation had yet to comment. "What do you think of all this, Joan?"

The woman took sip from her drink before leaning forward in her seat. "I think the answer is deceptively simple," she answered. "None of us stand a chance against Shin La. The Avatar does. We support the Avatar."

"We can't be seen leaning on the Avatar's shoulders," Rian argued. "We have to try and sort this, not leave it up to a teenager!"

"To my knowledge she is in her early twenties," Joan glared. "And unlike anyone in this room, the people actually like her. And apart from maybe Tenzin, she is the only one that elects to act before people die, instead of dithering about until they do," she said as she narrowed her sharp gaze to the airbender. "The only question is whether she is ready or not. Is she?"

Tenzin again rubbed the hair at the scruff of his chin. "She is going to the Spirit World in a couple of days, and after that I am confident she can face him. Shin La has only tormented her with manipulation and taunts. He will wilt when Korra finds out his secrets."

"We shall see," Joan nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer. She leaned back in her chair as Raiko looked to take the floor again.

"So, for the moment I believe this particular matter is settled. I will organise a public hearing to address this menace. Now, onto the matter of a stand-in chief of police…"

The next couple of minutes just passed Tenzin by. Raiko discussed the police issue. Rian made more contradictory statements that he and Joan had to shut down. He gave them updates on Lin's current condition. All business as usual.

And then this weird sensation started to itch at the back of Tenzin's neck.

It was insidious at first. Something he could ignore. But as the meeting wore on, it started to intensify, just a little bit. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake it.

The slam of a door jolted him back to his senses. The conference hall had a new visitor.

"Um, sirs?"

It was a young man, one of the interns working for Joan. Barely more than a boy. He looked… anxious, which was understandable. He'd only been working with her more than a week, and she could be a very difficult person to get along with unless you earned her respect.

In his right hand was a letter, one that was shaking uncontrollably as he approached the council. The long walk to the arcing desk didn't help. It only served to show how his teeth were chattering as he tried to speak.

"A-A man, he, um, wanted to deliver this to you," he mumbled. His lip was quivering. Nerves were one thing, but this was something else. The poor lad looked like he was on the verge of a panic attack.

Raiko stood up, cautiously so. "We were asked to be left alone, unless something truly urgent was to happen. Who did this man say he was?"

The boy's voice cracked as he spoke. "He said… Oh Spirits, he-he said he was… Shin La."

That caught everyone's attention. Immediately all five of them rose from their seats, Tenzin's chair clattering to the ground he had risen so hurriedly. No wonder the boy looked terrified.

"You did good bringing this to me," Raiko assured him. He started to walk towards the boy. "Come give it here."

The young man let him have it with no hesitation. He still looked like he was about to faint. "You may go," Raiko soothed him, as he put a firm hand on his shoulder.

To say the boy ran out the room was an understatement.

With no intention of stalling, Raiko ripped open the letter. From what Tenzin could see, there was fancy writing on the side. The paper looked old and rotten, like someone had ripped a dusty page out of an old library book.

Raiko seemed to read it quickly. His eyebrows furrowed as he flipped it upside down to see if there was anything more on the other side. He read it again, with the same puzzled look on his face. When he'd finished, he looked up at Tenzin.

"Well," Quan said impatiently. "What does it say?"

Raiko ducked his head down to read it again. "Hello, Raiko," he said, his expression still uncertain. "To your right. It says 'To your right'. If I'd been still sitting up there, the person on my right is…" He looked back up to the council, but to one member in particular. "You, Tenzin."

The airbender furrowed his eyebrows. "What is that supposed to mean?" he demanded, even as all the other reps turned their necks to stare at him. Rian was looking at him with apprehension. Quan had a wary look on her face too. So focused on the airbender were they, that they failed to see Joan coming.

It would prove to be their last mistake.

A knife embedded itself into Quan's skull as the firebending ambassador flicked her wrist with a speed unprecedented for a normal human. No sooner had the sickening slitting sound of the knife entering the back of her head made itself known, Joan had bound off the desk and pulled Rian close to her.

With a lightning quick manoeuvre she had him on his knees, one hand on the back of his head, the other on his chin. At this point Tenzin had reacted, throwing himself towards the president of Republic City, who looked on in complete shock as he surveyed the rapid murder of one council member and the potential death of another.

"You are right, Rian," Joan said sensually, her voice low and silky. Her red lipstick only accentuated her teeth as she widely smiled and playfully bit on the councilman's earlobe. Were it a different scene, the move would come across as playful, or seductive. Here, it looked absolutely horrifying.

"You should not be terrified of the dark," she laughed, like she was whispering sweet nothings in his ear. "But of what lies within it."

CRACK!

The councilman unceremoniously fell to the ground, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle as Joan stood before Raiko and Tenzin, grinning demonically down at them. The councilman hit the ground with a nauseating squish as his head contorted abnormally away from his body. Raiko looked up at the woman with abject terror; Tenzin's expression was grim as he put himself into stance to prepare for what was about to come.

"Make your speech, Mr President," Shin La chuckled, his demonic tone at odds with the feminine giggle. "I'd love to hear it."

"All right, Korra. Just… breathe."

Jinora's calm, clear tone flowed through Korra's mind as she sat cross-legged in the gardens. It was the only thing she could hear apart from the leaves rustling in the undergrowth and the trees swaying in the wind. Her eyes were closed, yet she felt so much more aware than usual. She was ready to take the plunge, to dive into the undefined rules of meditation.

"Breathe in, breathe out. It's just you. I am nothing more than a guide to help you on your way. An avatar, funny enough," Jinora said, Korra hearing her chuckle in the rolling waves of her mind. It felt like she was weightless, drifting in and out of consciousness as she floated through her internal thoughts in search of the man who could give her the answer to a question only he knew best.

Maybe this is what flying felt like, but without the beat of the wind or the rush of the atmosphere. Just extend your limbs and let go…

She caught onto a purple branch and crossed her legs in mid-air. Without the pull of gravity her position felt nauseous at first. The gap between her feet and the earth down below was mind-blowing. Yet there she sat in the air, with nothing to anchor her but her own body. She took a deep breath and started to concentrate.

She imagined her body was sending out a signal, as if there was a certain frequency that would only attract Avatars. The soundwaves would emanate from her position and hit off anything that it came into contact with, and she could sense anything that laid within her mind. Like an echo.

Would there be anything hostile? She hadn't given that much thought. Surely not. Although everyone had their own demons to face, and she had had too many encounters with one recently…

She shook her head. Enough of that. She was worrying too much about her real life so to wonder if her own head was in jeopardy was a step too far.

In the end, she decided to wait, hoping her telepathic call would lead him to her, like a siren. Avatars always seemed to know when another was in need. With a bit of luck…

"Korra."

The voice cut into her musing, but unlike Jinora's, which was calm and playful, this voice was stern and solemn. And male. Definitely male.

She opened her eyes to find herself staring into the face of Avatar Kuruk.

"Hello, young one," he said, in a similar position to herself. His voice felt strangely detached, like he was addressing a potential employee rather than one of his successors. "I believe you have been looking for me."

With a casual refrain and a jaunt in her step, Joan pulled the knife out of Quan's skull. Both Tenzin and Raiko winced slightly at the slick sound of the knife being dislodged from the older woman's head. Curiously, the woman sniffed the blade, before wiping the blood off on the elder's robes. The curdled red stood out starkly against the cool blue of Quan Li's dresswear.

Shin La guessed that she wouldn't mind now. She was dead, after all.

"Not so fast, boys," he said nonchalantly, as Tenzin and Raiko had started edging down the room. The deep tone of his voice did not match the feminine tilt of Joan's. Nor his calm, debonair demeanour or the way her hair flicked around on her head. She looked fair too natural to be surrounded by bodies.

"Where are you going? The show is not over yet," she explained, knife twirling in her fingers she spoke. "And I will not leave until I have received a satisfactory performance."

Tenzin would have elected they stay quiet as a way to frustrate Shin La. But Raiko fed right into his words. "What do you want from us?!" he demanded, throwing his hands up behind the watchful gaze of the airbender.

"The Avatar; Dead," he replied immediately. "Any who choose to follow her? Dead. Perhaps Republic City; Dead. Not necessarily in that order."

"We can be reasonable about this," Raiko insisted. "We can ensure no one else dies!"

"Do not negotiate with terrorists," Joan wagged her finger, as if she was disciplining an infant. "A mantra of politicians like you. A mantra you use to make the world think you are better people than you actually are. But, as presidents go, you're decent. I wonder if your successor will be as fair."

Raiko's eyes narrowed as the indication sank in. "You come with the express intent of murder? Maybe I was right. The spirits never should never have been allowed sanctuary within Republic City!"

"That is a debate for another time," Tenzin cut in, still slowly trying to back down the hall, even if Raiko's outbursts were making that task harder and harder to conceal. "And it is one he does not care for. If he is here, he wants to kill us. Simple. As. That."

"Oh, Tenzin, how could you?" Shin La flushed, dramatically putting one hand on chest for effect. On Joan's chest. The airbender knew there was nearly no hope of appealing to her humanity while she was possessed, but in that moment, she didn't look like a demon. She looked real. Human. And then the smile returned. "You think I want to kill you, here and now? No, Tenzin. Maybe in front of your family while they beg and scream for your life and vice-versa. But now?" he said, shaking his head even as he flicked the knife from one hand to the other. "You are one of the people I actually care about. It doesn't matter to me that a man will be told later today that his mother is dead. I do not cast a thought to the woman who will wake up, knowing her hands were used to kill three of her colleagues. No one thinks about the other people, Tenzin. Well, Raiko does. And that's why he's going to die."

Raiko's gulp was audible. It alerted Shin La like it would a predator stalking his prey. But Tenzin stood resolute, keeping himself between the spirit and his would be victim.

"If you want him," Tenzin said sternly. "You're going to have to go through me."

"I would expect no different."

No sooner had the words left Joan's mouth, she had flicked her wrist and set the knife in her hand flying through the air, its arc heading right towards the eye of President Raiko. Or it would have, if Tenzin's reactions weren't so sharp. A brush of wind erupted from his palm, and it sent the knife clattering against the wall. He turned back to blast Shin La.

He didn't get much of a chance. Having used the distraction of the knife, Shin La got right up in his face. Tenzin would have expected a duel of sorts; a battle going to and fro, their respective bending going back and forth. What he didn't expect was Joan's figure slamming right into him and sending him toppling to the ground.

Shin La didn't give him a chance to regain his footing, as he reared his right arm back and punched the airbending master on the side of the head. The connection wasn't clean or precise, but connect it did. The blow sent Tenzin reeling, but he recovered well enough to throw a backhand of air to push the demon off of him. He heard Joan's flats hit the ground as she rolled with the fall.

Quickly, Tenzin picked himself up off the ground before she could press home her advantage. With a look of scorn, Joan kicked her shoes away and ripped half of her skirt, giving her legs more freedom to move. It was a good thing she did, as she had to leap out of the way as Tenzin funnelled a strike of wind at her.

They were playing a game of keep-away, or at least Tenzin was. To his knowledge, Joan was not a bender. He'd certainly never seen or heard her exhibit the trait. But Shin La resided within, and he would provide her strength, knowledge of the martial arts and who knew what else.

Tenzin had seen what he'd done to Lin. The bruises and scarring still clung to his mind, and his blood boiled at the opportunity to retaliate. But Joan was an innocent. He had to remember that none of her involvement was voluntary. Plus, there was the very real chance that one on one in a fistfight, he would lose. He could dodge every single one of Shin La's blows, but that would be no good if he was unable to keep the phantom away from the president. The usual airbender tactic of avoid and evade would not suffice. He had to face this opponent head on.

Shin La made it easy for him in that regard. He ran at the airbender, using the various pillars and corners of the room to shield himself from Tenzin's blasts. In second, he was onto him.

To his credit, Tenzin ducked under the first punch, Joan's swinging right failing to connect. He did not, however, manage to evade the flying knee that smashed into his face as Shin La flexed Joan's unknown skill to good effect. The blow sent him teetering on his feet, and Joan dropped an elbow into his back. He was barely on the ground before Joan's kick busted his ribs.

He was thrown onto his back, and Shin La jumped on him, trying to take advantage. Tenzin responded however, catching the demon full on in the chest with a strike so strong he hit the ceiling. As he came down, wheeled him to the side with an acrobatic kick.

The airbender was breathing heavily. His nose was bleeding, and he'd taken a few knocks, but he'd definitely been worse. And so he turned to face his enemy, ready to engage once more.

He wasn't there.

Instead all Tenzin saw was a half smashed door, barely holding onto its metal hinges. It was the one that Raiko had escape from, one he'd told the President to lock. The same one he had now just thrown a psychopathic demon through. A psychopathic demon that wanted to kill the President.

Oh no.

Tenzin burst out of the room, a storm condensed into a sphere as he chased after the phantom and the president. Just outside there was a garden, and while the sun would keep them safe, the garden was surrounded by corridors. Where, where, where…

There!

It was almost like he could see it happening in slow motion. President Raiko, his expression terrified, his left arm desperately tugging at the limb of his attacker, trying to delay the inevitable. Joan, pinning the helpless man to the ground, right arm raised back, knife in hand, coming down to deal the final blow. And all Tenzin could do was pray his reflexes were fast enough.

He desperately threw up his hand and fired. It was non-focused, clumsy, uncoordinated attack, with its only goal being to disrupt the spirit, even serve up as a distraction maybe, just so he could give Raiko a few more seconds so he could turn and strike more precisely. He could see the tragedy in progress, Joan's hand coming down, as the blast of wind crept ever closer…

The attack connected with Joan's possessed body and sent her soaring. It was so powerful that at no point did she have any time to right herself, instead flying straight into the wall down the end of the hall, face first.

Even though he was unsure, he could hear her groan from down the corridor. If Shin La was still in there, there was nothing he could do while she was in this state. If he wasn't, then Joan would soon be having an awful headache.

Satisfied that the threat had been nullified for the time being, he turned to the president. The smile on his face died when he saw the ornate handle of a dagger sticking out of his stomach.

"Oh no," he whispered, before he flew to the man. "Oh no! Medic!" he shouted, trying to make a fuss so someone, anyone who had medical experience could help. "The president has been stabbed! I need assistance!"

Raiko's face was lucid as Tenzin cradled it in his hands. His eyes were lazy, like they were in promise of an eternal sleep. Seeing the knife stuck in Raiko's abdomen was haunting, but Tenzin knew that if he took it out the damage would only be made worse. All he could do was put pressure on the wound, even as the blood spilled all around his fingers.

"Stay with me, Raiko," Tenzin muttered, even as he pressed the wound. "Stay with me."

If there was one thing Korra had learned so far, it was that Kuruk was a good listener. He was also very, very, quiet.

A bear skull helmet adorned his head, and unlike the metal ones that the Water Tribe made to resemble the animal, his looked authentic, an actual wolf skull covering his crown. A long thick pelt covered him from his shoulders down the back of his feet. A loosely cut brown beard, like her fathers, helped fill out his face. And his eyes, his eyes were unyielding, watching her intently as she spoke.

He looked like a hunter that had never found his prey. Even in death, his quarry eluded him. He looked consigned to that fact, yet his gaze never wavered, as if his prey was always a whisker away from presenting itself.

"You know, I've always wondered what it would be like to talk to you," Korra said, a nervous smile on her lips. "Out of all the Avatars that I've ever seen, you're the most like me."

Kuruk scratched his chin. "Is that a good thing?" he asked. His voice was rough and weary.

Korra was taken aback slightly. She rubbed the back of her neck as her smile faltered slightly. "Um, sorry?"

"I asked if that was a good thing," Kuruk repeated. "I would not consider it so. I am… I was brash. Impetuous and arrogant. And I paid the price for my casual nature. You should be glad you grew out of such behaviour."

Korra was temporarily at a loss for words. She hadn't known what to expect, but she certainly hadn't entertained this. "That's… comforting?" she said, confusion evident in her tone.

A small sign of light entered Kuruk's eyes. "Oh," he said, his deep voice taking on a hint of recognition at what he came across as. "I apologise for my bluntness. I assume you have questions, young one. I will answer anything you have to ask."

"Okay," Korra nodded, a bit more confidence in her voice. "I came here to ask you about someone. Or something, depending on the information. What can you tell me about this spirit called Koh?"

The way his expression just fell, Korra almost wished she hadn't asked. It was like she'd just pushed his berserk button and now any positive feelings he may have had were eradicated.

"Many things," Kuruk finally replied. The bear headgear suited him well. His voice was more akin to a growl. "Aye, many, many things. What would you like to know?"

"I… I'm going to face him," she said resolutely. "I need information, on another spirit called Shin La. You've faced him before. I need advice on how to deal with him."

Kuruk lowered his eyes for a second. His lips were sealed, but Korra could tell he was clenching his teeth. His whole body seemed tense, like a coil that had been wound up and was about to spring at any second. "My advice would be to wipe that parasite off the face of the world. Destroy him like the countless lives he has destroyed. Kill him, Korra. That is my advice."

Again Korra was rendered speechless for a moment, but before she could muster a response, a forlorn chuckle escaped Kuruk's lips. His laughter was so regretful it nearly broke her heart. "But of course, that is not your prerogative. It is mine, and it's one that I am still unable to carry out," he sighed, and suddenly he seemed very tired by it all. He broke his crouching position by rubbing his hands against his face. "I must apologise again. I am not used to company. And when our connection was cut I was left even further adrift. You do not need to be burdened by my history with the Face Stealer."

"It's okay," Korra insisted, almost willing to lean over and give the man a hug. Talking to her seemed to make him feel lost, and the way he carried himself suggested he'd been feeling like that for a long, long time. "I heard about what Koh did to your wife. I'm sorry."

"Its ancient history now," Kuruk tried to brush it off, even though it was clear to him it definitely wasn't. "And my own fault. You need not repeat my mistakes. If you are willing to face Koh, then know this; to get anything out of him you must remain emotionless. Neutral, mechanical. Stone cold. Show any feeling or weaknesses and he will pounce on you like a cat does to a mouse. And if you do crack, let him have both barrels. He may be strong, but you are the Avatar. He will not be able to light a candle to you. Either way, ask him your questions. His curiosity will compel him to answer."

"I… Thank you, Avatar Kuruk," Korra said, bowing her head to him. Kuruk did the same, and turned to leave. Before he could though, the young woman grabbed onto his tunic.

"Before you go, do you know anything about Shin La?" she asked hopefully. Kuruk regarded her with a look of regret.

"I am afraid not," he shook his head. "However, a word of warning. You must stop him, and soon. From all accounts I've heard, Shin La is an evil, ruthless despot. And you should be thankful. His pride is the reason all of your friends are still alive. You must stop him before he tires of the game he is playing and just murders them outright. Believe me, Korra," he said, and for the first time in the conversation he turned to her and clasped her shoulders strongly. "You do not want to live while the people closest to you are dead. That is something I learned a long time ago. I am still suffering from that lesson."

His expression was grim, yet it was also so sincere. When he spoke those words, he meant them. He was still going through hell, still festering in grief from a loss so soul destroying that even the turn of the centuries was not enough to heal it. Korra could only give a troubled nod.

"Goodbye, Avatar Korra," he said, a very brief smile appearing on his features before his default brooding expression returned to the fore. "I wish you well in all your endeavours. Good luck, and live well."

And then he disappeared into light, a light so brilliant and glaring that all Korra could see was white for several minutes. But even with the stars in her eyes, and the force of an Avatar inside her, all she felt after the talk was empty.

And she thought about how Kuruk had lost all that was important to him. And the mystery of why he only lived to the young age of thirty three was suddenly a lot clearer.

"I will," she said, to no one in particular, even as she could feel Jinora's grip on her hands and a piercing light bringing her back to reality. "I will. And I promise I won't lose them like you did."

In a flash, she was back. The sun shone overhead, the flowers swaying in the breeze. Yet Korra felt incredibly cold.

"Korra!" Jinora called, grasping her shoulders to make sure she was okay. She still looked a little shell-shocked. "Are you okay? Did you learn anything?"

Korra focused on her face, before giving her a numb nod in return. "Yeah, I'm okay," she said unconvincingly. Then, a little more conviction crept into her voice. "Yeah, I'm okay. And I know what I need to do."

"And what's that?" Jinora asked as Korra stood up to survey the sky.

"No more waiting. I'm going to find Koh. I leave in the morning tomorrow."

The setting sun was always a warm sight. It was like a precursor to the night, the first tinges of darkness started to claw and reclaim the golden star that hung in the sky. And down and down it sank, until the darkness reigned and the gleaming moon was the only reminder of its existence.

Shin La looked through the window, then down at his pilfered body. A doctor's coat hung heavily on his shoulders. He was a short man, though apparently his temper was legendary among the orderlies in the hospital. His nametag read 'Kelso'. Shin La scratched the itch that sprung up in the man's greying hair.

He hadn't had to trek to the other hospital where Lin and the younger Beifong resided. No, this one was far closer. In hindsight, it wasn't too surprising. A private hospital would be better suited to the needs of a president, after all.

It never failed to surprise him how many people one could meet in a day. From Joan, to a security guard, to an errand boy, to a nurse to a doctor… Sometimes it felt like he was hopping on the bus, destination anywhere. Every human was unique, often with the same kind of internal struggle but always tilted or different in one or two ways. Every new mind he sampled was an experience. He gave them that, at least.

And how experienced was this man? He mused silently as he moved his gaze from the ever changing sky to the man in the hospital bed and green gown, tubes and wires sticking out of who knew where. If President Raiko could sense his inner thoughts, he didn't show it. He just kept lightly snoring in what was probably a fitful sleep.

For a second, Shin La actually considered sparing him. Leave the room, venture out into the darkness and wipe the good doctor's mind so he would not remember his murderous intent. He could definitely do it, if he wished. The two security guards stationed outside would be none the wiser.

See, this was the thing. He'd forget that, when murder wasn't fun or thrilling or sadistic, it was just… boring. Mundane. What was the point? Raiko was not alive to fight back, nor could he hear any goading taunts that Shin La was so fond of. No, he would just pass away softly. He wouldn't even know his killer's name. Shin La felt a little bit disheartened at that.

Even if he woke up, Raiko would be too lucid to realise what was going to happen to him. Shin La sighed, and felt the tickle of a cough at the back of the old man's throat he was possessing. He liked to kill because it was fun. There was no joy in it when it felt like he was doing a job.

"If you were awake right now, what would you say?" Shin La said, turning his gaze back to the day that was now nearly night. "Would you spit at me, attempt to fight? Or maybe suggest we chat, like decent men? I guess I don't know. I know so many things but it's always the little details that I agonise over."

Walking over to a cabinet adjacent to the wall, he brought out a scalpel. He'd already lost a lot of blood from his earlier attack. A bit more should be fatal. "In either case, I suppose in this war between the Avatar and I, you were always going to be a casualty. You would take her side of course. And although your words alone would not be enough, they would remind Republic City of their saviour. Their knight, with shining eyes and limitless power. And it would give them hope. I have wondered how, after Amon, after Unalaq and Kuvira, people still flock to this city like it were a beacon of light and prosperity. And now I believe I have my answer."

The cold, clean metal cut through his skin with ease. Moving inside his wrists, Shin La slowly and methodically slashed his veins and arteries. He took his time. The night was young. He could dictate the pace however he wanted.

"She is hope," Shin La said quietly, withdrawing the scalpel as drips of blood starting to leak from his arm. "The people do not see the imperfections, or the failures. They see a being that has stood watch over them for centuries. And how can they feel true fear when the Avatar exists? A stalwart hero, ever ready to slay monsters and save the world."

Removing his white gloves, Shin La stifled another cough before turning to leave. He opened the window and felt the sharp, cooler air of the night. With one last glance, he looked back at Raiko.

"So that is why you have to die, Raiko. They must see their city crumbling while their almighty Avatar sits by and does nothing. The Police Chief, the government, they all must fall. Perhaps if you were a different man, in a different time, this could have been avoided. But this chain of events has been threatening to happen for centuries. Nothing can stop it now. Not even the Avatar."

Shin La felt the old doctor behind him fall to the floor as he dispossessed him. He climbed out the window. "Goodbye, Raiko. It's for the best. You don't want to see what I'll do to your precious city."

With that, he leaped into the night, the darkness swallowing him up. He could not afford to be idle yet. The hunt was very much still on.

Chapter done. You have no idea how long I've been dying to say that.

Well, a month. But it felt like a long month.

I feel like this chapter was just set-up, so that's why I had such a hard time writing it. I'm itching to get to the good stuff, but I still can't let the ground work fall by the way side. Suffice to say, in the next couple of chapters, shit hits the fan. Seriously, I don't want to promise much, but I've been looking forward to showing you these for a while. I sincerely hope you'll enjoy them as much as I enjoy writing them.

That's all for now, peeps. Read, review, feed my soul, you know the score. Talk to you soon! :)

PS. Oh, and Happy New Year! :)