The World that Was
Chapter 2 – Small Sacrifices
"Nothing is outlawed when my son is concerned."
Bumi struggled under the weight of his body to crawl as the thick fog continued to fall all around him. His eyes, nose and throat burned from the mysterious fog as a loud claxon filled the air. He struggled to focus his gaze on the limp form of Tazon as she lay before him. He would never forgive himself if he lost her this way. She originally didn't want to come, but came because his visits to Omasu were few and far between.
Bumi had no plan how to get his friends out of his predictiment or even how to get out from this fog that was chocking the life out of them. His head started to get light as his vision started to grow darker. He started to see visions of his mother from when he was younger. Her warm smile and her big blue eyes, how they would calm him whenever he was sad or angry. He wished more than anything that he could see them one more time. He then thought his younger sister, Kya, Mom's little Waterbender. She could be as wild and rambunctious as Bumi but turn as serious and responsible in a heartbeat. As much as it would annoy Bumi whenever she would follow him around he would want nothing more than to sit by the river bed with her and skip stones across the edge of the water with her.
Bumi's thoughts then turned to his new baby brother Tenzin, so tiny and fragile and so full of potential. Bumi was regretful that he would not be there to see his brother grow up into a young man and even then find out if he would be a bender or not. In his heart Bumi hoped Tenzin would be an Airbender, for his father's peace of mind. Bumi loved his father and his pained him he wasn't an Airbender and could not carry on the Airbender legacy. He knew the burden being the last Airbender weighed on his Father's heart and more than anything Bumi wanted to shoulder that burden like any son should. Bumi was the first born but always felt like a stranger in his father's eyes. Every hug felt like a chore, every word , every exchange a distant echo.
Bumi understood his father was the Avatar, and his father had duties to the world. He just wished now in these seconds before the darkness enveloped him that Bumi made more of an effort to reach out to his Father. To make him proud, to be a better son, to do his part to make the world safer.
"Mom, Dad, I want to go home..." Bumi thought as he finally blacked out.
The three children laid on the floor motionless as the thick white fog continue to fall, then from the same hall way they entered coming in like a storm from the eastern seas, came riding in on an air scooter Avatar Aang already in the Avatar State.
Immediately as his feet touched the floor and in one turn he let loose a massive gust of wind that cleared the entire room of the fog. The glow left his eyes and his arrow as he looked and saw the children on the floor.
"Toph! Sokka! I found them! They're in here!" He called out.
Aang knelt and felt the mouths of his son, Gabo, and Tazon. He tried to feel any sign of them breathing any at all but he felt none.
"No!…" He gasped
From the entrance of the room emerged Toph and Sokka. As soon as Toph entered the room she could feel from the muffled vibrations from the floor that they were too late.
"No oh no…" She said as she held her hand to her mouth.
Sokka knelt by the bodies and tried his best to wake them. "C'mon kids!, Don't do this! You guys are strong, you can survive this!"
Sokka saw the kids' skin were an ashen grey, their bodies lifeless. He then looked around to their environment and saw where they were. It was no place he had ever seen in his entire life. Lights brighter than any he had ever seen, windows with moving pictures and lights. Mysterious voices speaking in voices he had never heard.
"Aang? What happened to them? What is this place? "Sokka asked
"I-I Don't know" Aang said still shocked. "When I arrived there was this white fog and then-
"N-No! BUMI!" a shrill voice cut through the air.
They looked up to see a distraught Katara in the entrance.
Aang's heart dropped when he saw his wife standing in the doorway clutching onto the frame, her mouth hung open in shock, her blue eyes now beginning to brim with hot tears. Toph could feel Katara's breathing and heartbeat rise sharply as she stood behind her. Aang had wanted Katara to stay behind as he Toph and Sokka braved the caves to search for the children, but somehow, she joined the second search party. She knew how her husband and brother worked during an emergency and she was determined to find her son.
Now she saw her first son, her baby, lifeless and laying on the floor. Part of her lay on the floor dying as well, she held a hand to her mouth as she felt sick to her very core. Aang rushed to hold his wife as she began to sob uncontrollably. She couldn't believe that her first child was gone.
"D-did you do everything you could?" Katara barley got out
"Katara" Aang said sadly "They were already gone when we got here"
"Then you didn't do everything…"She said coldly as she pushed off her husband
Aang, Sokka and Toph all watched as Katara walked to the middle of the three children and knelt to the still Bumi. Tears fell down her cheeks as she stifled a sob and gently stroked his face. She looked at the bodies of the three and knew the extreme measure she had to take. She stood up and outstretched her arms in an all too familiar stance.
"Katara!" Aang said in a raised voice as part of him wanted to stop her and part of him didn't.
Katara didn't listen as she took a deep breath; she tapped into a secret and dark art of waterbendering. It was an ability to seize the water that resides insides the blood of a human body, the art known as Bloodbending. Originally taught to Katara by a Waterbender called Hama, Katara sought to outlaw the practice of it in the founding of Republic City. It was an ability that caused great pain on whoever the technique was being applied to. The technique did have some merits to it, but they were minor compared to it's many negative traits.
Katara's arms stiffened as her veins popped up, the bodies of the children likewise stiffened and like little puppets began to tremble and move. They moved onto their backs as their eyes began to flutter. Katara began to move her fingers and manipulate them like a puppeteer. She concentrated and reached each of them. She focused on moving their hearts.
*bu-bump*
*bu-bump*
*bu-bump*
*bu-bump*
Gradually she restored the blood flow in their hearts. She could feel their heartbeat restored with heat beat. Katara then gently stimulated their lungs and with a sudden gasp all three children awoke with choking gasp.
Katara released her hold as she heard them return to life. Bumi held his sides as his entire body ached. Katara knelt and held his head gently. Tears of relief fell down her face as she felt the warmth of her son again.
"M-mom.." He groaned.
"Don't say anything…" Katara said "just stay still, we're taking you home."
Aang breathed a silent sighed of relief as Sokka and Toph checked on Gabo and Tazon.
"Katara that was crazy and stupid, "Sokka chided "and brilliant."
"But we can't ever tell anyone you did that" Toph added "Not if you still want it outlawed."
"I understand " Katara said " But nothing is outlawed when my son is concerned."
Aang's heart was glad his son was ok, and now he could focus on what almost killed his son and his friends. He walked to the far end of the rooms where what looked like windows of many sizes big and small were showing various moving pictures, words, symbols and letters. He could hear various voices coming from different places but what interested Aang the most was in the upper centers of the windows. It was a round shaped sphere built into the wall. And in the middle of it was a bright red light. Aang could feel as if the light was looking at him, observing him silently, and unbeknownst to Aang, he was right.
"Who are you?" He asked?" Why did you attack my son and his friends?"
The eye of the Artificial Intelligence system that ran NORAD looked at Aang and analyzed him. Most of it's systems were still down, it would take time before it would be completely operational. For now all it could do was observe and record for later analyzation.
"What do you think this place is?" Sokka asked Aang?
"I'm not sure" Aang said "Looks like some kind of hidden base, but it doesn't like from any of the nations "
"I do know one thing." Sokka said as he pointed at the center window "That map doesn't look anything like our world!"
Aang looked at the global map on the far left; it wasn't of the normal map showing the Four Nations. This was a far different map showing the world broken up into seven different continents. Where the Northern Water Tribe was broken up into several smaller land masses, where the Southern Water tribe was one massive continent. Where the Fire Nation was supposed to be was two large continents joined by a single strait of land. Where the Earth Kingdom should be was one massive continent, and there were several stray lands which could be considered Air Nomad lands.
"That is interesting." Aang pondered.
"I think we should study this place some more." Sokka said
"After this place almost killed my son and his friends?" Aang said in a shocked tone.
"Look I know it looks bad, But this could be a major archeological find, " Sokka explained " I think this might be a lost civilization. We could learn something from it, something that could benefit Republic City."
Aang looked back at Katara and Toph tending to the kids. "Ok, choose a small team and tell no one, and you have to promise me when you are done you will seal this place. I think whatever is here could still be dangerous."
Sokka nodded "Ok."
They both didn't know it but their conversation was being recorded by the computer, and it was going to have to decipher what language they were speaking, but first it had to contact the other United States military commands, which others had managed to survive.
The following evening…..
The return to Air Temple Island was uneventful. Bumi left without saying anything to Gabo and Tazon, not that Bumi was sure that Gabo wanted to say anything to him and he briefly heard that Tazon fell into a traumatic shock soon after reaching the surface. Bumi himself suffered some minor injuries, but his pride was hurt more. He lay in bed all day taking meals brought to him by Katara.
Aang sat at the table in the dining area of their house and was busy reading some scrolls when he was approached by his wife. He didn't even notice her walk up with Tenzin in her arms until she was behind him.
"Aang, you need to go talk with Bumi." She told him.
"What?" He said not looking up from his scrolls
"Eyes up here mister," She said placing a hand on his scroll "He feels awful about yesterday."
"Katara, He took off with his friends into that mountain and almost got them killed into that death trap, and you broke own rule of bloodbending to save them!" He said callously.
Katara narrowed her eyes at him; a clear indication that line was a low blow.
"Ok, that was wrong of me, I'm sorry" He apologized.
"Do you know why he went on that expedition?" Katara quizzed her husband "He wanted to find the Cave of Two Lovers!"
The sound of that name instantly brought back a flood of memories for Aang, Memories of a first kiss with Katara.
"W-Why did he want to go there?" Aang asked
"He wanted to bring us back a crystal, for an anniversary gift." Katara said as she sat down to nurse Tenzin.
Aang rubbed his temples as he stood up and walked to his son's room, He opened the door to see Kya already asleep as the foot of Bumi's bed. She had kept a vigil by his side ever since they got home. Aang picked up his daughter and placed her on the guest bed in the room. He took a seat on the bed by Bumi. Bumi stirred awake and looked to see his dad sitting by him.
"D-Dad?" he said half awake
"How are you feeling?" Aang smiled
"I'm doing better, " Bumi said.
"Look Bumi, you had a lot of us scared there."
Bumi looked ashamed " I-I know dad, I'm sorry."
"It's ok, what matters the most is you're ok, you're my son and I love you very much." Aang said with a smile.
"I love you too Dad"Bumi smiled.
"Your mom says you were looking for the Cave of two lovers"
"Y-Yeah, we were so close.." Bumi beamed.
"Ah no you weren't Aang corrected.
"No?" Bumi asked perplexed
"You were way off." Aang said holding out his hands to show his son how far off he was.
"But I had a map…" Bumi said softly and perplexed.
"Your mom told me why you wanted to go there and I think it was very kind of you." Aang smiled "Maybe one day, I'll take you there and show you how off you were." Aang said as he brushed his son's hair with his fingers and kissed him goodnight.
"D-dad?, What about that place we found?, What was it?" Bumi asked
Aang thought carefully his response before he told his son.
"You don't have to worry about that place, Your Uncle Sokka stayed behind in Omashu to seal it up for good." Aang said telling his son a half-truth to hopefully set the boy's mind to ease.
Fourteen years passed …
Since Bumi and friends found the mysterious underground base, the world had change in many ways. The founding of United Republic of Nations by Avatar Aang and Zuko while fragile at first had now grown and prospered. The crown jewel of this nation was her capital city, Republic City. It was a sprawling mecca where people from all nations could live together in harmony. Already the world had changed in many ways since Team Aang were kids; many advances had taken the world by storm. From freestanding electricity that yielded light bulbs to replace candlelight, to a network of telegraph lines to send messages over great distances.
Many of Team Aang took on responsibilities to help build Republic City. Toph , who had traveled the world teaching Metalbending to Earthbenders, Started the city's first Police Force. Comprised of both Benders and Non benders, they worked to keep the streets of Republic City safe. Both Aang and Zuko worked together help coordinate the efforts of the other nations to build and regulate the newly formed United Republic of Nations. They were governed itself by a council comprised of a representative of each of the Four Nations. The chairman of this council was Sokka, and in-between times where he had to oversee various municipal meetings and other civic duties. He secretly led a small team comprised of the brightest free thinkers the world had to offer. It was a few times through the year they would go back to the Kolau Mountains just outside of Omashu and venture down to the hidden base discovered by Sokka's nephew Bumi.
Though they never learned who built the base or how old it was, It was rich with technology that they used to help build Republic City and better their world. Through the near 15 years Sokka studied the base he and his think tank were able engineer so many new wonders they did not have when they were young. Wonders as ways to harness and distribute electricity through power lines. The invention of the light bulb that quickly took the place of candles for candlelight, the same use for power lines as gave way to the invention of the telegraph. It provided the means of sending messages over long distances and triple the time it would take if it were sent by a messenger hawk. Even with all the advancements Sokka and his team were able to learn and create the time finally came when he felt that they had learned all they could from the base, and it was finally the time he fulfilled a promise he made to his brother in law.
15 year old Hiroshi Sato quickened his pace as he hustled down the busy streets of Republic City. He was born in the Dragon Flats boroughs of Republic City. He was the oldest of his brothers and sisters, and he grew up in a poor family. Hiroshi worked shining shoes by afternoon and nights and went to school in the mornings. Hiroshi worked hard to help support and feed his family; he was a bright young man with a brilliant mind. Always eager to help his fellow neighbors, Hiroshi never lost hope that he could make a better life for himself and his family. He worked hard in school and despite not being a bender he put his complete effort into everything he did.
He had no ill bearing against people with bending powers, He knew that there were both bad and good people in all groups. He didn't see himself not having a bending ability as a disadvantage, in fact he relished it. He looked up to his hero, Sokka, To remind him that you didn't need bending powers to change the world for the better. Hiroshi save every newspaper clipping of Councilmen Sokka and studied his life extensively. It was no wonder that he jumped at the chance to work alongside him during a fact finding expedition. Hiroshi had been noticed by his teachers for his sharp mind and high intelligence. It was during a chance meeting with one of Sokka's old friends Teo, from the Earth Kingdom, that Hiroshi's name was recommended to Sokka.
Hiroshi ran against the predawn chill as his hot breath clashed with the cold morning air. He ran with his 60 lbs ruck sack bouncing off his lower back. He could see the lights of the Train Station as he turned the corner. Running up the stairs and into the stale lights of the station he looked and saw the gathering of people at the end of the station. His heart skipped as he saw his hero Sokka talking with a couple other men their bags and equipment neatly being loaded on to the storage car of the train.
Hiroshi hustled and stopped panting and trying to catch his breath as the 64 year old Sokka turned to face the teenager Hiroshi, his face beet red from the running.
"Hiroshi," Sokka smiled "So glad you could join us, We almost left without you…"
"S-So sorry sir!" Hiroshi barely got out" But I'm ready to go!"
Sokka blew a slow breath out his nose and smiled softly at the eager young mind, "Go take your gear and check in with my expedition second in command, It's a long train ride to Omashu so you I hope you had your breakfast!"
Hiroshi was immediately put to work helping to load the supplies and equipment. He knew he was here strictly on an intern basis which ment his whole job was to be quiet and do what he was told, and if he could learn something. Which being near Sokka he knew he would have no problem.
The train ride to Omashu was filled with mission briefs and safety lectures, Hiroshi spent his time making and passing tea to the other members of the party and preparing some of the rigging they would be using on the trip.
Hiroshi was busying tying some knots on ropes when he heard someone enter the car he was working in. He looked up to see Sokka walk in and take a seat on a wooden box near him.
"Sir!" Hiroshi said as he tried to stand up as quickly as he could.
"No! No!" Sokka said as he wave his hand "That's ok boy , please sit."
"Looks like you need a hand there, Hiroshi? Is it?" Sokka said as he grabbed a rope.
"I'm ok, my dad taught me all the knots I know." Hiroshi said proudly.
Sokka nodded in approval " Teo tells your teacher have nothing but praise for you."
"I don't know about that sir, I guess I figure stuff out better." Hiroshi said as he grabbed another rope.
"That's a handy skill to have there, "Sokka smiled "It's save my blubber more than a few times. "
On the inside Hiroshi was an explosion of excitement to be sitting near his hero, his idol. The man who at his age orchestrated the Invasion of the Fire Nation and then later that year helped the Avatar end the Hundred Year War. He tried his best to display a cool calm demeanor on the outside.
Then Hiroshi noticed a look of concern fall over the old man's face.
"You're here in an Intern basis," Sokka explained "I want you to help out , do what we say and if you can watch and learn from us."
"But I wanted to talk to you about something else son, because where we are going is some place …secret" Sokka warned." It's hard to explain, but it will all make sense once we arrive."
Hiroshi looked confused "What do mean sir?"
Sokka looked him straight in the eyes, "I just need to know Hiroshi That no matter what happens, what you see won't leave this expedition. "
Hiroshi blinked as he saw the same fierceness in the eyes of Sokka that many of his enemies must have saw who faced him. It was both awe inspiring and terrifying.
"Y-yes sir! "Hiroshi promised "Whatever you say."
Two days later Hiroshi Sato found himself at the mouth of a large mountain. There were seven men including him in the party. Sokka led the way as the party carried torches into the dark musty cave to light the way. Hiroshi looked in awe at the long caverns inside the Kolau Mountains. From his position Hiroshi could hear Sokka talk with his men about explosives and if they thought they had salvage all they could from the base. Despite three of the members of Sokka's party urging him not to close the shaft, Sokka was adamant in his decision to close the mine.
After what seemed like hours into the mountain, finally stopped at concrete door in the middle of a long cavern. An Earthbender stepped forward as he stamped his foot and the stone seal put in place moved and opened the heavy door that covered the opening. Two other ment tied the roped to the wooden frame attached over the hole.
"Ok I want people to head down two at a time, "Sokka ordered " Pazu, You stay up here and guard the opening. "
The Firebender nodded as the rest of Sokka's team took turns putting on their rigging. Two by two men went down the long hole; Hiroshi gulped as he began to be lowered down the dark chasm. As Hiroshi got closer to the light at the end of the hole, he could hear voices growing louder and louder. He had no idea what to expect as he feet dragged along the surface. Soon the exit opened up and Hiroshi saw a white hallway, but it was not one he had ever seen in his life. For one thing it was illuminate with a strange light that seemed brighter than candlelight and lightbulbs. Hiroshi then felt himself pulled off and unhooked from the rope.
"Ok everyone gather around!" Chen ,Sokka's second in command called out " We will break into two teams. Team one will sweep the area for anything we might have missed, and Team two will prepare the explosives, If you find anything or think something might be of interesting let someone know!, above all be careful. "
"Hiroshi, you will stick with Denga, Do what she says and stay by her side" Chen said to Hiroshi as the boy nodded.
Hiroshi followed the team and his eyes and mouth soon hung open as he saw the large room when he emerged from the hallway. It was huge and looked like it was already picked apart. At the far wall Hiroshi could see that something that used to be there that was ripped out as wires hung from the hole. Things were moved aside and various parts littered the floor. Hiroshi felt Denga take his arm and lead him into the other hallways of the inner base.
Denga smiled as she saw the amazed expression on the boy's face. Denga was in her early 30's . She was a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe with a penchant for tinkering. She had joined Sokka's think tank team at the early inception of Republic city. She was part of the team that helped design the cities aqueducts. She had dark skin like a water bender and she wore her brown hair in two thick braids that lay flat by her face. She lit up her torch and led Hiroshi through the half lit up hallway.
"Ok what I want you to do Hiroshi is to help me take an inventory of items that we will be taking back to the surface!" She said in a cheerful tone as she resolved to the face she was stuck with the intern to do her bidding. When he didn't answer he she turned to see the kid still gawking at his surroundings
"You can close your mouth now Hiroshi" Denga smiled
"W-What is this place?" Hiroshi asked
"We don't know for sure, but what we do know is whoever created this place predated the time before the first Avatar, maybe even bending itself!
Hiroshi and Denga moved into the anterior part of the base. She led him to a small room that was the size of a kitchen. From the looks of it, it had already looked scavenged, various panels in the wall were pulled open as exposed and stripped wires were visible. The room itself was a lit up by a stale light that gave the room an almost yellowish pale look.
Denga sat down on one the dusty chairs in the room, that too looked different to Hiroshi as it was a chair but not one he had seen. For one thing it wasn't made of wood at all but metal and a different type of material that wasn't wood nor metal but somewhere in-between. Two dark blue cushions were attached to the back and the seat and as Denga sat on it swiveled and spun her around as Hiroshi saw that tiny wheels were attached to the four legs of the chair.
"Whoever made this place, believe in comfortable seating." Denga joked as she motioned for Hiroshi to sit on one.
Hiroshi smiled as he sat on one and marveled at its comfort, It was a short lived marveled as his chair's back part was broken and gave him no back support as he leaned too far back. He almost stumbled back on the floor before catching his balance. Denga chuckled as she waved her hands and waterbended some water from her pouch. She used the water to cut open the latched of a wall panel. She gripped the panel and tore open it open exposing the machinery underneath.
Help me pull apart these fuses from this panel and I'll explain more about this place."
"Like I said we aren't sure who made this place or why, but it's given us most of our technology that we have developed for use in Republic City and the world. " She explained "Everything we learned and developed came from here. We didn't know what most of it was but it pointed us in directions we never dreamed possible! We made huge strides in the fields of Agriculture, Architecture and Technology, We bettered the quality of life."
Hiroshi listened to Denga as she explained one of Republic City's greatest secrets; it was clear to Hiroshi why Sokka had the talk with him in the first place. A place like this, the knowledge here could be used for great good or great harm. He was glad Sokka took the responsibility for the knowledge of this base.
"How did you all find this place?" Hiroshi asked
"Originally it was Sokka's nephew who accidently found it with some friends almost fifteen years ago " Denga explained " They also were almost killed here, Which is why Sokka promised his brother in law the Avatar that when he was done studying this place he would seal it forever, and that's why we are here today."
"Hey Denga we need your help back here "They heard Chen call out from the hallway " Taun cut his leg pretty badly, We need your healing ability!"
"Continue to pull out and inventory these fuses, I'll be back." Denga said as she got up.
Hiroshi watched her leaved as he went back to her work. He was busy marking down some items when he heard what sounded like a whisper come from the doorway. He heard it again as it sounded more distinct.
"Hiroshi…."
Hiroshi walked out into the hallway and followed the voice.
"Hiroshi….."
The voice led him to a darkened hallway with a single flickering red light. Fear initially filled the boy but his curiosity was greater. He could see at the middle of the hallway was a room with a faded blue light emanating from it.
"Hiroshi….." The voice called a little louder.
Hiroshi looked into the room to see a small screen emitting the blue light.
"Come closer Hiroshi, I won't hurt you" The screen said as it lit up with each word.
"Who are you?" Hiroshi asked "How do you know my name?"
"I am this base Hiroshi," The voice said, it spoke eloquently, beautiful even. Hiroshi was cautious yet he didn't feel threatened. "I was made by the people who made this base to watch over it and serve them. I was known as a Central Artificial Intelligent Nanogene Systems, or as my creators called me CAIN."
CAIN then showed Hiroshi moving pictures of men in white suits and masks working on various types of machinery, and then images of stone faced men in green and blue military uniforms.
"Before your world existed, there was my world, and I was tasked to protect it here, this place was called the North American Aerospace Defense Command or NORAD for short, I was woken up fifteen years ago, and ever since I was visited by Sokka and his team to be studied, I studied them." CAIN said as he then showed Hiroshi images of Sokka and his team through the years working on salvaging what they could from the base.
"Have you ever talked to them?" Hiroshi asked.
"No Hiroshi, I have been studying and learning to speak your language for some time now, and I chose you to talk to because in you I see so much promise." CAIN said.
"Me? But why?" Hiroshi asked.
"Because I can show you and teach you so much Hiroshi. So much more than you know now." CAIN said as he then showed Hiroshi images of things he had never seen, Cars, Planes, Helicopters, tanks and other pictures Hiroshi didn't recognize but was fascinated with what they were.
"I know that Sokka plans to seal this place Hiroshi, and when he does I will be alone again." CAIN said. "But if you take me with you I will help you realize your dreams for a better world.
Hiroshi gulped as he remember all the sketches and ideas he wrote in massive binder at home, some were practical ideas but others were farfetched dreams. Ideas that could usher in an new era for his world. He knew an opportunity like would never present itself ever again.
"What do I need to do to help you?" Hiroshi asked.
Then the blue screen went dark as two panels' opened from either side of it. The screen sank down as round robotic sphere rose up from within the wall. It was a big as a medicine ball, but it was metallic and white all over, two handle rested on either side of a glowing red metallic eye in the center of the white sphere.
"This is my mobile form, you will be able to easily carry me in your satchel" CAIN explained. "Just grasp on to those two handles and pull me out from my frame,"
Hiroshi nodded as he gripped on both handles and then pulled the round core from its perch. He pulled it out with ease, and soon held the core in his arms.
CAIN looked at him "Very good Hiroshi, very good.."
Then as if a switch was hit, the entire base began to bask in the glow of red light from all over. A loud warning klaxon filled the base.
"Whoa! What happened?" Hiroshi asked
"I think I failed to mention, that my creators installed a fail-safe in the event that I should ever attempt to leave. "CAIN explained
"What's going on?" Hiroshi shouted.
"As soon as I am disconnected from the main frame the base assumes its under attack and sets in motion the auto destruct sequence. There are precisely 10 tons of explosive built in the undersides of this base and is set to detonate in ten minutes, I really suggest we leave before this entire base is obliterated." CAIN said.
Sokka and Chen looked up from their work to see and hear the alarms going off; red flashed filled the rooms and hallways.
"What's happening?!" Chen shouted and ran into the next room where a majority of the team had assembled.
Sokka then saw a system of numbers that were counting down. The sirens were blaring louder and louder, and he was filled with an intense sense of dread.
"Gather everyone around we need to get out of here now!" Sokka ordered.
Sokka looked around "Where's Hiroshi?"
Denga looked and saw the boy wasn't among the team.
"He was last with me, I'll go get him!" Denga said as she sprinted off.
Denga ran to the room where she left Hiroshi and saw he was missing. Her heart rate sky rocketed as she quickly looked to find the boy.
"HIROSHI! Where are you!?" She screamed "We have to get out of here now!"
Hiroshi looked up at the sound of Denga calling his name and placed CAIN into his side satchel. He ran through the hallway as the bulky bag banged against his leg.
"C'mon! We are leaving!" Denga shouted as she grabbed his hand and led him to the opening of the shaft where Sokka's team had already assembled.
"Hook Hiroshi and Denga to the line first and send them up, we'll go up a few spaces apart!" Sokka ordered.
"The rigging was built to handle that many people at a time it may snap!" Chen argued.
"At this point we don't really have a choice now let's move!" Sokka responded.
Hiroshi was grabbed and hooked to the line, the sense of urgency in the room it was barely noticed that he was carrying something in his satchel. As soon as he was secured, Chen yanked on the line five times which was code for "grave emergency" for Pazu to hoist the line up quickly. Hiroshi felt himself yanked forward as he struggled to gain his footing against the wall of the rocky shaft.
"Go! Go!" he could hear voices behind him, as the opening of the hole began to grow in sight. In his satchel CAIN calmly monitored the timing of the countdown. The base was set to implode in fewer than three minutes now.
Denga was then hooked up to the line and followed a couple dozen meters behind Hiroshi. She gasped as the line jerked her forward. She could hear the frenzied shouts of her team as she ascended the hole. One by one Sokka over saw his men get hooked up to the line and make the climb up one by one. Chen looked back to see Sokka hadn't hooked himself up to the line. The elder Water warrior just looked up and waved good bye to them.
"Sokka! Come on! Climb up! Get out of there!" Chen shouted. But deep down he knew what Sokka knew, that with himself on the line it would create too much tension on the line and it would for sure snap. Right at that moment he made peace with himself and knew he made a difference in this world. He thought back to a journey that began with a fishing expedition with his sister, which ended up finding the last hope for a world devastated by war. At the age of 15 he forged friendships and grew in such a way that the world itself was saved from destruction. He had no regrets in what he knew were the last moments. From all around him he could hear the terrible klaxons ringing from all over the base. From up in the hole Hiroshi made it to the top as Pazu. Grabbed him by his rope harness and pulled him from the hole and tossed him to the ground. Pazu looked down as he could see Denga following close to the top. As Hiroshi fell on the dusty ground, CAIN's internal countdown of the detonation entered the final ten seconds. The countdown then reached zero as Pazu grabbed the hand of Denga.
Sokka looked as the entire hall flashed with an immense ball of light and heat. He saw the flames rush toward him as visions of his loved ones flashed in his mind, the smiles of his niece and nephews, Suki, when he first met her as a Kyoshi warrior and the taste of her lips. He saw Toph and remembered seeing her grow up from a formidable Earthbender to a loving mother. He saw Zuko, and remembered the adventure they went on to free his father and Suki from the Boiling rock Prison. He then saw Aang, and how he saw Aang become a fully realized Avatar and save the world. Finally Sokka saw the face of his sister Katara, Who had always been there to take care of him since their mother died. Even as an old man she continued to fuss after him, making sure he took time to rest and eat healthy. It was a painful regret he felt when he realized he would never be able to say good bye to her. It was the last thing Sokka thought of as the flames vaporized him.
The flames of the explosion shot through and devastated the old base; they quickly rose up through the hole and incinerated the remaining party members still trying to escape. Pazu , as an experienced Firebender as he was too late in using his Firebending to wave off the flames. The blast wave caught him and Denga as she was halfway out of the hole. The searing heat of the blast wave propelled them out of hole and threw Pazu into the far wall snapping his neck, he fell to the ground in a limp pile as Hiroshi covered his eyes and face from the flames.
The heat singed parts of Hiroshi's hair and clothes; He blinked as he could hear himself still breathing. It was a clear indication to him that he was still alive. His mind tried to process what just happened as his body reeled from the emotional shock. To his right he could hear pain soaked sobs, he looked to see Denga lying on her side as parts of here smoldered from the blast. Hiroshi gulped as he crawled to where she was. When he got to her he turned her on her back and winced at what he saw. Gone were the warm smiles and soft brown skin of Denga, as half of her face was blackened and burned. The stench of her charred flesh sickened Hrioshi and he bit down to keep from vomiting. Half her body was covered in burns as some of her blue coat was fused to her skin. Nearly her entire right side was covered in burns from the top of her head to her arm and hand down to her side. Her legs lay in a twisted, broken and burnt.
"w—water!..." She sobbed as she struggled to draw in air.
Hiroshi nodded as he took out his water skin and laid it next to her. The Waterbender raised her hands and tried to Waterbend the water from the skin. He knew she was trying to use what water was left to heal herself. She tried in vain to control the water but her ruined right hand man it impossible to control the water. The glob of water shook and glowed only a little before her strength gave out and it splashed on her. She cried out in pain as the water touched the exposed nerve endings causing her to cry out in pain. Hiroshi held her left hand; it was one of the few places that didn't suffer a burn. He knew deep down she wasn't long for this world and the only thing he could do was make sure she didn't die alone.
"H-Hiroshi." She whispered " T-tell my children what happened to me and that their mommy loved them, I don't want them to think I left them on purpose…"
"Y-Yeah sure, anything!" Hiroshi promised.
Denga gulped as it her breathing worsened. " W-we only went down there with the best intentions…."
"I-I want to go home…" She whispered as she fell silent. Hiroshi watched as the light left her eyes.
"Hiroshi" CAIN called out from the satchel.
Hiroshi turned and opened the bag to expose CAIN to the light.
The AI sphere for the first time was close enough to the surface to try and communicate with its satellites in low orbit over the Earth. In seconds it soon learned that out of the many satellites NORAD had in control of, only one was still operational. Still it would be more than enough to feed CAIN the information he needed to learn But first CAIN knew it had to comfort Hiroshi , as he knew the boy would be feeling a huge amount of guilt. Something that may impede in what CAIN would need if he aimed to use the boy in its plans.
"I know this may come as some small comfort to you, but thank you for freeing me. Mourn not for your friends Hiroshi. Together we won't let their deaths be in vain. I promise I'll help you make your world better." CAIN assured the boy.
"B-But they all died." Hiroshi said sadly.
"Hiroshi, "CAIN said "Great things cannot come without small sacrifices…"
Three years later eighteen year old Hiroshi Sato received the investments he needed to start up Future Industries. The Satomobile became the leading innovation for travel around the world…
NEXT TIME: The story picks up in the current storytime for Legend of Korra. It is the aftermath of the defeat of Amon and the Equalists and Asami Sato struggles to keep Future Industries afloat, As Korra and Mako are called to investigate a series of break ins at various factories in Republic City that point to a reemergence of an old enemy. When a frantic call from Asami, soon leads to an event that will rock Team Korra and Republic City to its core.
A/N: This chapter took me a bit to get out as it served as the main chapter to truly set up the events that will come. I aim to use several themes in the chapters to come. This is the first story where I have extensively studied to make the plot solid as much as I can .I will explain more as to how our world and the world of Korra are tied together. Thank you all to have read it and commented on it. A special thanks goes to Atarah Derek for offering up the first comment.
