Asami wrung her hands as she watched Kai flying high above the tree canopy. He grew ever more distant, rapidly soaring away from the plateau. Bolin and Mako stood beside her, transfixed on the impossible feat unfolding in front of them.
"I can't believe that actually works," Mako murmured. "Can you imagine having a squad of people in those things? They could drop down into the enemy camps, or drops things from the sky."
Asami didn't reply, she kept her eyes on Kai. She had pointed out a landing spot for him, but if he couldn't make it there, they'd have to go find him. After what seemed like an eternity, Kai turned the glider back toward them and descended, making tighter circles just above the clearing at the foot of the plateau.
"He's coming down." Asami shouldered her pack and gestured for Bolin and Mako to follow her. "Let's hope he found something."
They made their way down the plateau as fast as they dared. If Zaheer had scouts patrolling the woods, a rockslide would give away their position faster than anything else.
When they finally reached the landing site, they found no sign of Kai or the glider. Bolin readied his polearm and Mako drew his swords. A moment later, Asami caught movement in the bushes. She rushed forward, raising her fist as she readied to strike out at the assailant.
"Asami!" Kai cried. At the last second, Asami diverted the blow, connecting the heavy gauntlet with a nearby tree trunk. Kai stared at her, wide-eyed.
"S-sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, I didn't think you'd want the glider where anyone could find it so I hid it over there-" Kai kept talking but Asami didn't hear it. She took several deep, slow breaths to try to calm her racing heart. I nearly killed him. She looked down at the gauntleted hand. I don't have to use it anymore after we find Korra. Somehow, that did not relieve the sudden burden she felt.
"Asami?" Mako said softly. "Come here, I found something."
She shook her head to clear it and made it to where Mako knelt in the dirt. She glanced at the ground. "Mako there's nothing here."
"I know." He lowered his voice and turned to glare at her. "Do you want to tell me what that was back there?" He nodded in Kai's direction.
Asami ran her free hand through her hair. "I thought it was a Red Lotus member." Mako nodded but didn't reply. "I don't know what's wrong with me. Normally I can keep an even temper in a fight, but right now...I just want them to hurt."
Mako shook his head. "Korra wouldn't want that. Even when it was inadvisable, she always tried to find a peaceful solution." He paused. His gaze was unfocused, far off. Clearly, he was remembering something. "It has cost her a lot, but it never cost her the things that made her... her." He stood up and brushed the dirt off his pants. "That was what she tried to tell you when we started out. This was what she wanted to spare you." He held her gaze. "But it's too late for that. Now you've got to figure out how you're going to get through this and still look at yourself in the mirror."
Asami tried to reply, but he held up a hand and shook his head.
"Bo, Kai, what have we got?" he asked, turning back to the others.
Bolin grinned. "Kai found some kind of ruins. He said it looked like a fortress or jail."
Asami gasped. "I think I've heard of the place. The local legends tell of a fortress some old king used to lock up prisoners for torture."
"I bet that's the same place. Zaheer might think it poetic justice," Kai said.
"So what's the plan now?" Bolin asked.
Asami pulled a map from her pack. "We go and get them back."
Korra swung the cage again and it crashed into the wall. She grunted as it swung wildly away, screeching against its chain hook. No one had come to check on her in a while. If she broke out, they would recapture her. They were certain. Korra, however, was certain that they did not expect her to strategize. Just have to get out of the cage. Then I can wait. Zaheer was right, of course. She stood no chance of escaping on her own, but if any distraction presented itself, she wanted to be free to take advantage of it.
The cage was battered from her work. She pitched herself back and then forward again, swinging it into the wall once more. Her arms were bruised and bleeding but she needed to keep moving.
The cage clanged loudly as it hit against the wall. It swung away and Korra toppled to the other side of the cage. Pieces of rock tumbled down from the ceiling, pinging against the metal and raining on her head. It took her a moment to recover from the crash. She cursed when she realized how much momentum she had lost.
She flexed her fingers to try to regain some feeling in her shoulder. She slumped against the side of the cage and allowed herself a few moments to catch her breath. Her body felt so weak. How long have they kept me here? They had given her water only a few times and she didn't remember them giving her food at all. Probably to keep me weak. Instinctively, she reached for the necklace, only to find it missing. She clenched her hands tightly and fought down a swell of panic. The necklace could have fallen off, or perhaps Zaheer took it. She clenched her jaw and readied herself for the next blow. Asami, I'm going to keep my promise. With a grunt, she shoved against the cage wall again.
Asami and Kai made their way to the entrance of the cave system underneath the fortress ruins. The ruins above had looked mostly deserted, but the tunnels running underneath were all well-guarded. Two men stood at the entrance, both heavily armed. They did not look focused, however. They talked with each other and hardly glanced at their surroundings. Whatever Zaheer had told them had done little to warn against a serious threat.
Finally, she nodded at Kai and they rushed the two guards. They both looked toward them, and one managed the start of a warning before Kai got to him, quietly taking the guard down with a blow to the head. Asami grabbed her own target tightly and pressed a smothering grip over his mouth, waiting for him to still. When both were unconscious, Mako and Bolin helped them carry the bodies out of sight. Kai and Asami kept watch as they changed into the newly acquired Red Lotus uniforms.
"You're sure about this?" Asami asked. Mako's outfit was a little short on him, and Bolin's looked a bit too tight.
Mako shrugged. "It's the best chance we have. Hopefully the light will be poor in there."
Bolin walked over to Asami and held up some rope. "Ready to be my prisoner?"
She nodded and handed over her gauntlet. "Keep this on the back of your belt." After Bolin secured her weapon, Asami held out her wrists and let him bind them loosely. Mako did the same with Kai. "Everyone ready?" She asked. They nodded. "Let's finish this."
The tunnel entrance and even further in held no other guards. When they encountered branching corridors in every direction, Asami realized why. "It's practically a maze," said Mako. He and Bolin seemed to make random guesses as to which corridor they should be heading down. Asami could not complain. She had no better strategy.
"Wait, this way." Kai had stopped and tugged on his bonds. He nodded toward another branch in the tunnel.
"Why?" asked Mako.
"It's wider than this tunnel. Wouldn't you think it is because this leads somewhere important?"
Bolin shrugged and led Asami over to the tunnel entrance. "He does make a valid point."
After staring down the hall a while longer, Mako sighed. "All right, let's go."
They began walking down the wider tunnel. Asami stared at the walls, wondering how long it had taken for such a place to be carved out. She listened to their footsteps echo softly, accompanied by nothing but the sound of torches burning and sputtering. Then she heard it, "...do well to release us now, before more are hurt."
"Quiet, magician. You've already demonstrated how useless you are without the staff."
"Jinora," Kai whispered.
"Hold on." Mako tugged him back. "Remember the plan."
Kai glanced between him and the other end of the hall. Muffled chatter could be heard. "Do you think all three of them are there?" she asked.
"Let's find out," Mako nodded down the hall. "Stay close, and do not engage them in combat unless they strike first. I want to take them out quietly, if possible."
They rounded the corner and saw a two guards. One roughly shoved Jinora back into some kind of cell. The other glared at Mako and Bolin.
"What's this?" he asked.
"I caught these two sneaking around outside the entrance. I was told to bring them here to secure with the others." Mako gave Asami a push and she stumbled forward.
"Good work." The first guard stepped aside to let Mako take Kai and Asami into the cell. Asami took a few steps forward and then let herself fall forward to the ground. The guard muttered a curse and bent down to pick her up. She rolled to the side and kicked with her legs, knocking one guard into the other. Immediately Mako and Bolin rushed the Red Lotus members and rendered them unconscious, or dead. Asami had no way of knowing. Bolin grabbed the keys off one of them and ran into the cell to undo their bindings.
"We're so glad to see you!" Opal said. As soon as Jinora's bindings were undone she launched herself at Kai, giving him a tight hug.
"Where's Korra?" Asami asked. The anxious feeling in her gut grew.
Jinora carefully untangled herself from a blushing Kai. "They're keeping her in the cavern. It's in a lower chamber, with a lot more security."
Mako raised a brow. "How do you know that?"
Jinora smiled. "Opal and I have been working on our magic while trapped. I've been astral projecting to-"
Asami held up her hand to halt the undoubtedly lengthy explanation. "Tell us how later. We need to get to her."
"I don't think it's going to be possible to sneak in, we'll likely have to fight our way through," Opal warned.
Asami looked around at them and grinned when she spotted two Red Lotus supply bags. "I have a plan."
"Really? Care to share?" Bolin asked.
"Jinora and Opal basically have a map of the tunnels, right?" She walked over to the sacks and opened one. The small spheres she had seen the Red Lotus assassins were inside. "Do you know how they make that white light?"
"It's not magic," Opal said.
Jinora stroked her chin thoughtfully. "I think it's like Dad's fireworks."
"So would you know how to use these?" Asami asked, holding up one of the devices.
Jinora walked over and took the orb from her. She turned it over and nodded. "It shouldn't be too hard to use. I'll see if I can find some goggles or something to keep us from blinding ourselves."
Asami nodded. "Great. Let's go. I want to be the ones with the advantage this time."
Korra jerked awake. She wasn't sure how long she had slept. She didn't remember falling asleep to begin with. Faintly, she could hear the sounds of a commotion outside of the chamber's door. Rescue? She called out, "Hey!" The yell echoed around the chamber, but she received no response. The familiar clamor of battle came to her ears. I have to get out of here. She started rocking the cage again, ignoring the shooting pain her shoulders.
She was gaining momentum when a boom echoed around her and the room flooded with light. She looked away, and when the light faded she saw Bolin locked in a struggle with a Red Lotus member. He had one arm around the assassin's neck, tugging hard as his free hand fought to grab the keys the assassin clung to. Bolin managed to shove the man away and landed a solid punch to his chest, followed with a blow to the back of the neck. The man fell to the floor, unmoving.
"Korra!" Bolin shouted, looking around the chamber.
"Up here!" she called back.
He looked up and frowned, likely trying to determine how to get her down. Another Red Lotus appeared behind him. "Behind you!" she cried. The assailant raised his weapon to strike, but it never landed. Instead Korra watched as a sword pierced his chest.
"That's my brother," Mako growled, pushing the man off his sword with a foot. He walked into the chamber and looked around for more attackers. "You need to stay more alert, Bolin."
"Of course. Lecture me later. We found Korra!" Bolin gestured toward her with both hands.
"I'm so glad you're here, but where is everyone else?" Where is Asami?
"Korra!" The sound of that voice made her breath hitch.
"Asami," she said. When she walked into the chamber, she had to swallow down a sob. "Asami, you're here."
"Of course I'm here." She walked forward, leading Opal and Jinora into the chamber with her. "We're going to get you down from there, all right?"
Korra nodded and waited as Asami walked over to stand under the cage. "Asami," she said again. Just to see here was enough to ease the aches in her body. Her throat burned. Her head pounded. None of that seemed to matter as much with Asami there. "Asami I'm so sorry. I lost the necklace." She blinked back tears, ashamed of her own hysterical response to the rescue.
"I'll make you another one. I'll make you ten. You could lose one every single day for as long as I live, and I'll make you as many necklaces to replace it as needed." Asami released a chuckle that sounded more like a sob. "I'm just so happy you're still alive."
"How nice that you all are neatly in this cell." Zaheer said. Korra's heart dropped to the pit of her stomach as she saw him walk into the cavern. Asami and the others rounded on Zaheer. His three companions entered behind him. Korra gripped the bars. She wanted to be down there fighting, not stuck in this cage. I need to protect them.
"We're taking Korra out of here." Asami raised her hands in a defensive stance, a spiked gauntlet on her right hand. Their lined up next to her, weapons drawn.
"You want them alive, Zaheer?" The knife thrower twirled a dagger in his hands. His lips curled into a sneer.
"Try to keep the girls alive, but the boys are more trouble than they're worth." Zaheer rushed forward, and Korra watched helplessly as Asami moved to engage him.
A/N Yeah it's late. We know. It ended up being a little longer than we anticipated so we took a bit longer to write it. We should be wrapping up Part 1 of this story here soon (aka season 3 of LOK cannon) but the story WILL CONTINUE. We are talking about taking a little time off to get going on the second half and get a feel for how we want it to go. I'll make sure to keep you all updated.
Also, GAY MARRIAGE IN THE US GUYS! Now, I know the fight isn't over, but hot damn I'm gonna celebrate a victory like this! My aunt once told me that she never thought this would happen in her life time. Maybe my life time, she said, but not hers. Well, it happened today and she was one of the first people to message me about it. 2015 the year of the GAY! ~Sy