The World that Was

Chapter 3: Fire in the sky

"Something up there doesn't like us!"

"SO there I was, there were advancing barbarians about to close in on my position, and below me on the edge of the cliff was the rough sea and rocks so sharp they could turn you into mince meat!" Bumi said with a twinkle in his eye.

"No way Uncle Bumi! What did you do next?" Ikki asked her full attention now on her uncle.

"It's not what I did, it's what my lieutenant did next!" Bumi said " Turns out the stress of our situation was too much for and before anyone knew it….." Bumi stopped as he filled his cheeks with air and make a motion and sound like he was throwing up.

"BLUURGG!" Bumi said " Out comes the Lieutenant's lunch AND the missing bison whistle! Turns out he did eat it!"

"By the spirits…" Kya said rolling her eyes and going back to her needlework project.

Ikki,Jinora and Meelo all giggled in delight at the mental image of someone throwing up a bison whistle.

"I then took it and blew as hard as I could, and just as the enemy was about to close in on us a huge flying bison swept by and leap on to it's back and flew away!" Bumi said closing out his story.

The air of the absurdity of Bumi's story was quickly cut short as the screams of Bolin could be heard from the courtyard of Air Temple Island. They all looked to their left as they saw Bolin flying through the air and landing on a soft patch of dirt. He coughed as he tried to suck air back into his lung and only succeeded in breathing in dust and dirt.

"I'm okay! I'm okay….." He winced as he held his side.

From around the clearing of trees flew in Avatar Korra on an air scooter. She quickly arrived to Bolin's side and gingerly landed on the ground as she hopped off her air scooter.

"Bolin! I'm so sorry!" She apologized as she rubbed his back " I'm still a little new to this Airbending power!"

Bolin flopped to his side and looked up at the clear blue sky , He knew it was an endurance to train with Korra , but she needed to practice her bending to become an efficient Avatar. He knew it was his duty to help her as he was in that position. Still the bruises didn't help any.

"Do you think you could find my spleen? " He asked " I think it fell out around here somewhere…"

Future industries

Asami Sato rubbed her temples as the last of the board members filed out of her father's office which was now her office. Since taking over Future Industries now that her father was in prison, Asami did the very best she could to keep things running smoothly at the plant. It was a task that was growing harder by the day. Since the fallout with the Equalists , no company wanted to sulley their hands with a business that wanted to wipe out a 1/3 of the population. She was losing partners by the day and she knew something had to be done fast or else the only thing she had left her name,would die.

Asami stood up and walked to the bar that sat in the corner of the room, Reaching for the bottle of fine liquor she poured it into a tumbler. She knew her father would often take in a drink to take the edge off. She found herself with a lot of edges that needed to be curtailed of late. She swallowed the blue liquid as it burned going down. She took both the bottle and tumbler in hand and went back to her desk to go over the recent figures presented to her. It was more of the same on how the company had to keep cutting back on expenses in order to keep the business afloat. As if dropping buy rates weren't her biggest problem , Asami had to contend with the reports of various break ins at several of her warehouses. The crimes were petty, Whoever broke in only let the place in shambles. If anything was taken it was electronic components that weren't worth very much. Still it was enough to make the board nervous and strong arm Asami to make improvements to security. Which she hoped having a friend in the Republic City police force would help.

Thoughts of Mako and Korra cascaded in her mind as she went back to her desk carrying the bottle and glass. Her head swam as the liquor hit her late, she made it back to her chair and she dropped the bottle and tumbler on the desk. She slunk back in her seat just in time to see the tumble roll on it's side and fall off her desk. Asami sighed as she got down and reached for the glass that had slid far out of her reach. With a final push forward she reached the glass, but then a curious loud click resonated in her ears. She then heard what sounded like a mechanism working just before her.

"What is that noise?" She thought to herself as she look to where the sound was coming from.

Peeking from above the desk she could see the large carpet before her began to sink down into the ground. As she approached the sink hole the sound stopped. She pulled the carpet back and gasped as she saw a staircase that led down to a dark hole.

Asami gulped as her mind searched for any memory that might give her a clue as to why her father had a secret staircase in his study. She steadied her breathing as she ventured down the staircase and into the darkness. As she descended downwards she could see a tiny pinpoint of lights that gradually grew larger as she got closer. She saw the staircase led to an opening that opened up to a larg hallway.

"This place is cold and damp." She thought as the hallway was dimly lit by a strange glowing rock embedded in the wall. She could see the walls were damp and hear various drops of water falling from the ceiling. The hallway led to only one door , as Asami got closer she could see the light grow brighter from around the door frame. She had never seen this door before in her life, much less what lay beyond that door. She opened and gasped at what she saw.

Chao Zu Prison

South of Republic city

Three weeks ago...

Hiroshi Sato shuffled his feet as he was led to the anterior room of the prison. He was rustled awake at four in the morning, he didn't need to ask who had summoned him. He walked into the empty visiting rooms. He picked the past seat and sat across from the figure who sat in the shadows from behind the pane of glass. Hiroshi, dressed in his grey prison jump suit, took the hand held speaker phone and raised the hearing piece to his ear.

"General Tang,"hiroshi greeted " I assume the council has heard my proposal."

"We have, and even I am in agreement that we are accepting if anything to meet your friend who you say has guided you all these years."

"He will help, I assure you."Hiroshi said " Even if I am here ,I know a way we can persuade his help."

"And this weapon you speak of, Is there more you can tell us?" Tang asked.

"Only that it will change the world as we know it, once it's used." Sato replied.

"if this weapon is so incredible as you say, Why was it never brought to Amon?"

Hiroshi sucked in a huge breath " Because Amon while dedicated in his beliefs, had no sense of control. I feared he would level the world to make a point. "

"But his extremism died with him"Tang reminded him.

"True , you could kill the man, but not the idea. And an idea is hard to kill." Sato said with a sly grin.

"So what is your suggestion to proceed?" tang asked

"it's simple while I am here you can still access my friend who is in my private study at my mansion. "Sato explained " but this is important, you will need to follow this to the letter. You have to bring my daughter to my hidden study. You will need her hand print to awaken my friend. Once that happens look to the sky. You will see a signal, then come see me."

General Tang nodded at the odd requests," what if she wont comply?"

"Then you must make her comply, and you have my permission to use any means necessary. My daughter has to learn to live with the consequences of her decisions." Hiroshi said with a cold demeanor.

Republic city

south side docks.

"We've been through this area several times already, just what are we looking for?" Korra asked impatiently.

"Any type of clues we can find to see who has been breaking into future industries warehouses." mako replied as he looked around the warehouse.

The warehouse itself was one of many warehouses and supply depots hit in the past week. If anything was taken they were petty items, most equipment that would not be missed. Still the frequency of these break ins alarmed Asami . So much she pleaded for Mako to look into it for her, She had relied on the Police too much and time and time again they turned up nothing. Asami at her wits end called on the one person she knew she cold trust on the Police force, her ex boyfriend Mako.

"I know your bored Korra, but just hang on a little while longer, and I promise we'll go get you some southern style noodles."

Korra smiled a little at that comment, she knew it wasn't easy to be the boyfriend of the Avatar. Still Mako pulled through like a champ, he tried his best to still find time for the both of them to be together. Since joining the police force, Mako was considerably busy training and working as a beat cop. Korra herself spent much of her time on Air Temple Island learning her airbending training. Just a couple months ago they dealt with the Equalist threat to republic city. It was a campaign of terror led by Amon, the charismatic leader who turned out to be a waterbender from the Northern water tribe.

Using a specialized version of bloodbending,Amon tried to unite all non benders in removing the perceived threat of benders, he did this through fear and intimidation. He used his bloodbending however to block the chi paths of benders to take away their bending. Only after the final battle at the Pro-Bending arena was Amon shown to be a waterbender and not the leader empowered by the spirits as he claimed. Amon however escaped and last last seen speeding away in a powerboat, never to be seen again.

"As much as I would love to Mako, I have to be back at Air Temple Island ,more air bender training from Tenzin." Korra said remorsefully.

Mako stopped and looked at Korra " Oh, ok , "He said slowly

Korra knew that look all too well. She moved closer to him and place her hand on his face softly.

"Hey don't be that way," She purred " We can have a make up date later in the week. "

She smiled and kissed him softly and gently.

"You always did know how to make me feel better." Mako said as he broke away from her lips."Give my love to the kids."

Korra smiled as she mounted Naga and rode away.

Sato mansion

Asami was speechless as she looked at the room she was now in, It was small but was lined from wall to wall with glass screens, but on these screens were various images of different rooms in the mansion. She could see the servants moving around about the house. She also saw images from around the grounds. On the other side of the glass screens were images of various points around Republic city, She could see the insides of a could warehouses, to the inside of the Probending arena and finally two images that she recognized as Air Temple Island. She could see Jinora,Ikki and Meelo playing air ball in the courtyard.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" she heard a voice behind her call out

She looked around to see she was still alone in the room.

"Who's there?" She called out

"your looking right at me Asami..." the voice said as Asami looked at the round white sphere with the red glowing eye looking at her.

"What are you?" Asami asked."And how do you know my name?"

"I've watched you grow up Asami, I'm not surprised you father never mentioned me, My name is CAIN." It said in a soft and reassuring tone.

Asami gulped as she was torn on whether or not to run from the room, She had no idea what kind of technology was down here, or why this metal object could talk to her like a normal person.

"So how do you know my father?" Asami asked cautiously

"I helped you father develop most of the ideas and inventions he claimed. "CAIN said " And I'd like to say Asami, You have my deepest condolences on the loss of your mother."

Asami blinked, this object had knowledge of her and her family, as nonthreatening as he appeared to be, she had to remain cautious.

"What are you?"Asami asked "You never answered that."

"and I'm afraid I can't as there are men on their way here and by my estimation they will be here in under two minuets." CAIN said simply.

Asami looked at the door and could hear footsteps approaching. She looked to see if the room had a back door she could escape to.

"Does this place have a back door?" She asked aloud

"I'm sorry Asami but there isnt, the men coming will not harm you so long as you are complaint." CAIN said the severity of his words sinking into Asami's mind.

"Can you at least lock the door!?" Asami shouted.

"i'm sorry Asami, I can't do that..." CAIN said in an even colder tone.

"Can't or Won't!?" Asami growled as she shoved a chair against the door.

"Take your pick..."

Korra moved her arms in a rhythmic pattern as various gusts of air swirled around her. Airbending was now becoming easier for her by the day, Still Tenzin was not satisfied. There was still the matter of Korra's lack of Spiritual sense. He could not help but think if Korra stayed on this path of paying little attention to her spiritual needs, that it may one day come back to bite her. Tenzin watched as Korra practiced her Airbending mantras with his children. He looked back down at his scroll, He was carefully planning a trip for Korra and his family to visit all four Air Nomad temples. He felt a visit would do good for Korra in her avatar training and forhis kids to learn more about their people's history.

"Still working on the trip planning ?"Tenzin heard his wife Pema call to him

He looked up to see his wife with their newborn son Rohan, She had his swaddled close to his chest and she sat next to her husband.

"Yes, " Tenzin said " I'm thinking we visited the Eastern Air temple first and then make our way north!"

Pema chuckled " That sounds nice except aren't you forgetting something?"

Tenzin thought and then gulped as he had hoped Korra had not told Pema as well, But from the look of his wife's face he knew she knew.

"I...I don't know..." Tenzin stuttered

"Tenzin I don't see anything wrong with going to the Glacier Spirits festivle. In fact I think it will be fun!" Pema persuaded.

"Hrm..." Tenzin said quietly as he considered the proposal.

"Korra's been wanting to take the kids for some time now, and It's another opportunity for the children to see their Grandmother. I know aunt Kya is planning on heading down to the south pole at dawn." Pema said she took a bag of ice from the basket she carried and put it on Bolin's chest as he lay beside them, still reeling in pain from today's sparring session.

"ohh yeah that's feels good..." He purred " Pema has a point, I know my schedule is suddenly free, I could tag along and …...you know observe the local flavor."

Tenzin sighed as he realized the deck was stacked against him.

"Ok fine, The festival is a month away I think I can fit it into the itinerary." Tenzin said as he made a note on the scroll.

Both Pema and Bolin whooped their approval but Bolin's whoop was a little more than a groan.

Asami readied herself for a fight as she saw the door swing open. She immediately thrust herself into the first person sending him into the door frame. With him down she turned and sent a back elbow blow to the second man who came in. She felt the blow hit him square in the sternum. He lurched to his side as she grabbed him by the collar and readied her fist to knock him out. Asami then screamed as she felt her body stiffen with a sudden shock of electricity. She fell on her back as she looked up and saw who attacked her. They wore the same outfits she saw in her worst dreams.

"Equalists..." She grumbled as her body refused to listen to her and she lay limp on the ground.

The one who shocked her took off his Equalist mask and revealed the face of an older man with stone features. A face that had it's lines of wrinkles cause by numerous battles. He also had amber eyes, reminiscent of a fire nation citizen. He knelt down and caressed Asami's hair and face.

"i have to say Asami, it's nice you did half the work for us!, would have never have figured you haven't discovered this place before!"

Asami rudely grunted as she struggled to find the strength to get up.

"Oh shh, shh..." he comforted " Don't worry we'll take it from here. My name is General Tang by the way. I am an associate of your father and the late Amon."

He looked to his two men who were standing up behind him." Get her up and get her to the computer."

"I promise you Asami, you do what we say and you wont have to worry about us having to get rough with you. "general tang said as his men put Asami's limp body in a chair and wheel her to where CAIN was situated.

"CAIN, I am speaking on Hiroshi's behalf, "Tang said " He wishes you to begin protocol 19 ,He said you would know what to do."

CAIN waited a while before speaking. "where is Hiroshi, Why haven't I heard from him in a long time?"

"Hiroshi is currently in prison, but rest assured, he will be freed soon. Still he wishes you to start Protocol 19 while he is still in prison, that was he can claim plausible denialbility."

CAIN again paused before speaking " Very Well I will need a bio print of a Sato before I can proceed."

Tang nodded as he motioned for one of his men to take Asami's hand and place it on the glass plate on the console.

"Stop..."Asami said quietly and she felt the warmth against her palm.

"We need your palm Asami, because you are the only Sato available right now that CAIN will recognize.

"Bio print accepted," CAIN replied " Protocol 19 will comment in t-min ten minuets."

"What did you do!?" Asami said her strength gradually returning to her.

Tang looked at the computer screen to see a map of Republic City and a tiny blip blink on a point just north of the city in the canyons .

"We have to go to that location!" tang ordered, " The world has just changed as we know it! " He said excitedly.

He then ordered his men to carry Asami as they exited the underground chamber.

Little did anyone on the Earth know or were aware that high above in low orbit a relic from days past circled the globe. It soon received a signal it had not heard in centuries. It was often viewed through telescopes and no one not even the top scholars could tell what it was. It shone brightly against the rays of the sun. If the astronomers could look at it closely, they would see it was not a star, or a meteor, or even a pearl from Princess Yue's necklace as so the legends told.

They would see it was made of pure metal, and it was a construct of man, In another time it was called a Satellite, And the satellite awoke as it received an order to position itself just above the planet. The massive Satellite then called forth three other smaller satellites and locked them into a synchronous orbit. The larger satellite them began to draw off the energy of the three, sucking out every bit of energy stored in their solar batteries. The process itself only took a few minuets, It released the three as they floated off in a dead orbit.

Now that it was fully primed ,the war satellite then extended it's orbital cannon, with a final recheck of it's target it then let loose a massive bolt of energy at the planets surface.

It was a peaceful day in Republic city, it was the kind of day you could walk out in the perfect blue sky and feel the warm sun on your face. Many citizens went about their normal day as if nothing in the world could go wrong, but on this day the people of republic City would always retell and remember where they were when it happened.

Pema had just called the children in for lunch as they sat outside and ate by the trees of Air temple Island. Korra and Bolin both joked about Mako and his current job as a cop. Then the peace of the day was shattered as from the sky a massive bolt of light screamed down from the heavens and stabbed into the earth. Ikki covered her eyes and screamed as the bright flash illuminated the sky. Before anyone could registered what was happening, the ground around them began to shake are a loud rumble filled the air.

"What is that!?" Korra yelled as she instinctively grabbed Meelo to shield him. As soon as the beam appeared it disappeared.

"Wow, Something up there doesn't like us!" Bolin exclaimed as a second bolt fired from the heavens and again tore into the earth.

"Ok what in the name of the spirits is going on!?" Tenzin exclaimed as he saw the bright beam of light dissipate and the rumble of the earth stop.

Jinora held on to Ikki who was sobbing at the light of recent events.

"We need to go investigate wherever that beam hit!" korra announced.

"Im with you Korra!" bolin said rising from his sitting position.

"Kya, can you please stay with Pema and the kids?" Tenzin asked

"Yes yes of course!" Kya replied.

"I'm going too little brother!" Bumi stated

"Tenzin! Be careful!" Pema warned as Tenzin nodded and took off to mount Oogi.

Within moments Tenzin,Korra,Bumi,and Bolin all flew off on Oogi. It was easy to navigate where they were going, they simply followed the massive plume of smoke that laid a path for them. It originated from the valleys that led to Republic City. Thankfully republic City was not affected by the blasts, but what lay in the valleys was. From the air it could be seen what the beam of energy cut into the earth. It was a hexagonal trench, and the second blast cut deep into the earth. A massive and deep hole was now cut into the earth and at the end of this hole, was a metallic door to a bunker long forgotten. On the other side of the door in the bunker, lights gradually began to flicker awake as the illumination gave way to a large room filled with electronic components. Connected by a slender hallway was a second larger room, it too began to come alive with lights and beeps. From the far end of the room a panel in the wall slid open and from within the wall a large silver and black coffin slid free from the confines of the wall. The inside of the glass was frosted over, but if you looked hard enough you could see a single shape lying in a perfect sleep. The blue lights that decorated then inside and outside of the coffin suddenly turned green. This was soon followed by a heartbeat now restarting.

It was time to wake up...

NEXT TIME: Of all the lost artifacts pulled from the ground, this will have the most impact in the world of Korra, Everything the world is, everything people thought they knew will be forever changed. A survivor will rise, and the world will never be the same.