The Iron Sole Alchemist in the Benders' World (Chapter 8) Defeating Vaatu
by Howlin
(Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to any of the universes, places, or characters, and only claim the protagonist, Sloth, and Loki as my own creation. This is fan fiction, and I don't profit from it. Please don't sue me.)
Sloth, Tenzin, and I arrived at the presidential estate a little before Korra did. She arrived with a man sporting a thin mustache and a blue suit.
"This is Varrick, the one who helped arrange this meeting," said Korra by way of introduction.
"Don't worry about a thing," advised Varrick confidently. "I was a big contributor to his election campaign. Him and the other guy. Got to hedge your bets."
With that, we headed into the president's office. Raiko was a middle aged man with a thick mustache and glasses. There were photographers waiting inside to ambush Korra into a photo op with Raiko. She clearly wasn't comfortable about it, but sucked up her displeasure for the sake of the meeting.
Taking a seat,, President Raiko asked, "Now, how can I help the Avatar, the head of the Air Nation, and my most generous contributor?"
Cutting to the chase, Korra said, "Ulanaq's troops have invaded the south. We need you to send the United Forces to help."
"I'm very concerned about what's happening down there," said Raiko diplomatically, "but I don't think it's the Republic's place to interfere with internal Water Tribe matters."
"This isn't just an internal Water Tribe matter," declared Korra. "Ulanaq has designs on the rest of the world."
"Mr. President, the Republic is already involved in this conflict," argued Varrick. "The north attacked our cultural center last night."
Sloth eyed Varrick, shook her head and said, "The bombing is beside the point."
"I'm sorry. You are?" asked Raiko.
"My name is Sloth. This is my husband Greed. We have traveled between worlds and faced horrors you would not believe. Ulanaq is not merely seeking military conquest. He seeks to release Vaatu, the primordial spirit of darkness and chaos from where the first Avatar, Wan, sealed him away. When Vaatu is free, he will bring about ten thousand years of darkness that the human race will not survive. The only hope for this world is to stop Ulanaq now, before it's too late."
"I... What did I just see?" asked Raiko unnerved.
"I have the power to share thoughts and memories," said Sloth. "I showed you the things we've seen so you'll understand and believe."
"I do believe you," affirmed Raiko.
"So you'll help us?" said Korra hopefully.
"I'm afraid I can't send the United Forces to help you," said Raiko.
"What?!" said Varrick, Tenzin, Korra, Sloth, and I at the same time.
"As president, my first duty is to protect my people," said Raiko composing himself. "With a disaster of this magnitude on the horizon, the United Forces will be needed here to protect our people and help us weather the proverbial storm."
"There won't be a storm if you help us," declared Tenzin. "If we can't stop Ulanaq, the United Forces will be no defense against a spirit as powerful as Vaatu."
"Master Tenzin, while you may no longer be a member of Republic City's governing council, only a fool would question your record of wise advice and good judgement," said Raiko. "Even so, my mind is made up. This meeting is over."
The five of us were escorted outside, dumbfounded by Raiko's behavior.
"We're not licked yet," said Varrick firmly. "There are some things I need to take care of, but stop by my ship a little later on. We'll come up with something."
"In the meantime, let's see what we can do about your sword," I said to Korra.
Tenzin returned to Air Temple Island to consult with the White Lotus about our options. Sloth and I accompanied Korra to Mako's apartment where she'd left her zanpakto. As we walked, I took a glass eye out of my belt pouch.
"What's that?" asked Korra.
"I've been calling it, the Mad Eye, after its original owner, a wizard who's real name was Alistor Moody," I explained. "It's enchanted to let its user see through most forms of magical and mundane concealment. It'll let me see your zanpakto even though it would otherwise be invisible to me without my spirit energy."
"That sounds useful. How does it work? Ew," said Korra as my right eye shriveled up and vanished and I popped the Mad Eye into the empty socket.
"So, Korra, what do you know about Varrick?" asked Sloth.
"He's a business man fro the Southern Water Tribe," said Korra. "He runs a global shipping company that recently signed a deal with Future Industries. That's Asami's company. You talked to her on the radio."
"We did," confirmed Sloth.
"Right," said Korra. "Future Industries does manufacturing, cars, fork lifts, that sort of thing. Asami's father, Hiroshi, was involved with Amon and the Equalists. He made weapons for them. Airplanes, mechatanks, electrified gloves. Asami didn't have anything to do with it, and she even helped us stop her father and defeat Amon, but no one wants to do business with Future Industries because of what her father did."
"We aren't our parents," quietly affirmed Sloth.
"So, yeah, Asami came to the south pole to try and save her company by making this deal with Varrick," said Korra. "Then this war started and the first thing Ulanaq did was blockade the south, which basically crippled Varrick's business. He was one of the first and loudest advocates of going to war with Ulanaq."
"That explains a few things," said Sloth.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"He hired a local gang called the Agni Kais to blow up the cultural center and blame it on the northerners to put pressure on Raiko to declare war," said Sloth.
Sloth and I didn't miss a stop, but Korra stopped walking as she digested that surprise. "How... do you know that?" asked Korra.
"I usually don't read people's minds out of curiosity," said Sloth. "After we missed what Ulanaq was up to, I decided to read everyone's mind during our meeting with Raiko. I didn't go deep, but Varrick thought about it when he brought up the bombing."
"I never thought he'd go that far," said Korra.
"It's a war," I said, shrugging. "You do what you have to do. He must've known Raiko would be stubborn and need some extra motivation. I doubt anyone could've predicted he'd be so stubborn the literal end of the world wouldn't move him."
"You're both okay with this?" asked Korra.
"It'd be different if anyone got hurt in that bombing," I said, "but he's willing to help us save the world. Raiko isn't. That makes for an easy choice."
Korra wasn't exaggerating about the size of her zanpakto. The sword leaning in the corner was twice the size of Ichigo's zanpakto before he achieved Shikai. Mako was seated on the couch when we came in.
"I heard what's going on with Ulanaq," said Mako. "Is he really out to destroy the world?"
"Yes," I said.
"And President Raiko refused to send troops," said Korra. "I can't believe the president is doing nothing. He doesn't even care!"
"Maybe he didn't believe you about the end of the world," suggested Mako.
"He believed us," affirmed Sloth. "He just thinks he's better off fighting off an apocalypse than preventing one."
"And even if he didn't believe us about Vaatu, there's still Ulanaq's invasion of the south," said Korra exasperated.
Picking up Korra's Zanpakto, I asked, "Did you want to do this here or at Air Temple Island?"
"What are you doing?" asked Mako.
"I'm going to try and help Korra compress her zanpakto down to a more manageable size," I said.
"This is going to involve meditation isn't it?" said Korra with dread.
"I'm afraid so," I said.
"Might as well go to Air Temple Island," said Korra.
"While we're there, I can check with Tenzin about our options," said Sloth.
As we were getting ready to leave, Korra said, "Oh, Mako, you were right about the bombing. It wasn't the northerners. Varrick hired the Agni Kais to do it to push Raiko into the war. Obviously, it didn't work."
"Wait, he told you that?" asked Mako.
"No. I read his mind," said Sloth.
"I can't take that to Bei Fong," lamented Mako.
"So find the evidence," said Korra. "At least now you know where to look."
Air Temple Island had a beautiful outdoor meditation area with a view of the bay. Korra sat cross legged with her overly large sword on the floor in front of her. The traditional pose called for the sword in the lap, but that would have to wait. Breathing the fresh sea air, I guided Korra through the visualization techniques I'd taught to hundreds of students over the past few years.
It started small, the blade contracting almost imperceptibly at first, but over the course of three hours, Korra successfully compressed the spirit energy in her blade to the point it was the size of a normal katana.
"You didn't do any of that for me?" confirmed Korra when she opened her eyes and saw the results.
"Even if it did work like that, my soul's still with Vaatu," I said. "This was all you. It's actually an important skill in spiritual combat, since a large, puffed up blade is less powerful than the same energy compressed into a denser blade."
"You two are done?" asked Sloth, who'd shown up at some point while we were meditating. "We have a plan."
Sloth led the way to where Tenzin, Bumi, Kaya, and a handful of blue robed White Lotus members were gathered around a world map. Once we entered, Bumi started off the explanations.
"The United Forces isn't the only military with a navy strong enough to confront the Northern Water Tribe's navy," said Bumi. "The Fire Nation navy dominated the seas for a hundred years of war thanks to a combination of superior technology, military discipline, and sheer weight of industrial capacity. It took the ocean spirit itself intervening to break a Fire Navy siege on the Northern Water Tribe."
"Wasn't that war decades ago?" I asked.
"After Fire Lord Zuko took over, he ended the war and ushered in a period of peace, but demilitarizing after a hundred years of war isn't easy," said Kaya. "And it wasn't as though they didn't have to worry about retaliation after the end of the war. They may be at peace, but the Fire Nation still maintains the single largest standing army of the four great nations."
"Fire Lord Izumi is a reasonable woman," added Tenzin. "She and her father have had good relations with the Avatar and the White Lotus. She won't dismiss us like President Raiko did."
"I guess I'm off to the Fire Nation," said Korra.
"No. I am," said Sloth. "You're going to the Eastern Air Temple."
"Don't look at me," I told Korra. "I was with you while they were planning this."
"While the Avatar's direct presence would be a huge boon for convincing the Fire Lord to help, Harmonic Convergence is drawing close nad there are other matters that require you more," said one of the White Lotus guards.
"So, what is the plan?" asked Korra.
"At the Eastern Air Temple, you can enter the spirit world through meditation," said Tenzin. "The Fire Nation will launch their attack at the same time you enter to draw Ulanaq's attention and draw away any troops he might otherwise send through the portal to oppose you."
"I'll be with the Fire Navy, and Greed and I will coordinate the timing using our communication mirrors," said Sloth.
"How's Korra going to survive me?" I asked.
Sloth handed me her Soul Gem ring and said, "Give it to her when she goes into the spirit world. I may not be able to match your raw output, but I can hold you off for a little while. Worst case scenario, long enough for her to close the portal from the inside. Best case scenario, long enough for her presence to bring you to your senses."
"Okay," said Korra. "Let's do this."
Since Ulanaq was clearly using dark spirits to sink ships near the south, Sloth took Loki along with her on the White Lotus ship. I was glad the plan didn't involve sending him into the spirit world with Korra so I wouldn't have to worry about the other me eating his soul a second time. Tenzin, Kaya, Bumi, Korra, and I took off on Uggi. Once Sloth's ring was more than a hundred meters from her, it glowed red and a new body formed for her.
"You guys have the weirdest powers," said Korra.
"I'd say we're normal where we come from, but we're totally not," said Sloth.
"I am proud of how far we've got making this normal back home, though," I said. "Visored homunculi are still rare, but the school's up and running training more without us needing to be there."
Pemma and her four air bender children were there to greet us when we arrived at the Easter Air Temple. After the initial greetings, Ikki took her older sister's hand and rushed up close to us.
"Korra, you've got to see what Jinora learned how to do," chirped Ikki enthusiastically. "It's amazing! Show them, Jinora."
"I need some room," said Jinora, taking her hand back and stepping back a pace. We all watched as Jinora drew her zanpakto, who's cross guard had changed to resemble a stylized sunburst, and said, "Shine through the darkness, Hikari!"
The blade of Jinora's zanpakto shone like a miniature sun, forcing me to squint, then look away. After a moment, the light faded and I opened my eyes again. There was still a faint glow from the blade.
"I can make it as bright as I went," declared Jinora. "I don't keep it that bright when I use it as a book lamp."
"A book lamp?" I asked incredulously. "Tsumi no Rensa somehow got it in his head I should only use his powers for battle. Congratulations on having a sword less stubborn than mine. And congratulations on achieving shikai."
"Is that what mine's going to do?" asked Korra.
Shaking my head, I said, "Each zanpakto develops unique abilities suited to the person who wields it. My shikai is a length of chain that I can add or remove links from at will. You'll find out what your shikai is when you're able to communicate with it and it tells you its name."
"While we wait for me to call, did you want to grant air bending to the acolytes here?" suggested Sloth.
"That sounds good," said Korra. "I could use something to keep my mind off everything that's going on."
"I'll make the preparations for our meditation into the spirit world," said Tenzin.
While I waited, I wandered around the temple grounds a bit, taking in the ambiance and trying not to dwell on the fact that once the operation got started, all I'd be able to do was wait and guard everyone's bodies. The Mad Eye let me see a number of small spirits playing in the area, supporting Tenzin's assertion that it was easier to cross over at this place. The area was beautiful and the colorful, harmless spirits added to the ambiance. It was unfortunate I couldn't bring out my inner spirits to see it.
I got the call that the Fire Navy was in position and Tenzin got started meditating with Korra. Sloth retreated into her Soul Gem ring and put it on Korra's finger with instructions to take it off as soon as she got to the spirit world. Unfortunately, after several failed attempts, it became clear Tenzin didn't know what he was doing. After being pressed, he admitted he'd studied the theory extensively, but had never successfully entered the spirit world.
It was Kaya who suggested Jinora might have better luck. Jinora asked some of the nearby spirits the others couldn't see for help and the spirits illuminated themselves in a kind of light that made them visible and audible to muggles. The spirits led us to an old meditation circle that had been neglected and overgrown with vines a short distance from the temple.
Tenzin attempted a cleansing ritual that disturbed a flock of small, bat like dark spirits that had been in the area. Jinora purified a few with her zanpakto, but there were too many for that to make a real difference. Korra left her zanpakto sheathed and used water bending to surround the spirits in tendrils of water. She then sent golden energy up through the water and purified the entire group of spirits at once.
"Your spiritual training has come a long way," commented Tenzin.
"I'm impressed," I agreed. "I didn't even know there was a way to purify spirits without a zanpakto."
"Ulanaq may be a horrible person, but his spirit powers are no joke," said Korra.
Unhappy with risking Jinora in the spirit world, Tenzin tried one last time, but it seemed that the techniques he'd studied would only be of use to someone with spirit energy of their own. Ultimately, there was no choice but to send Korra and Jinora on their own. When their swords and Sloth's ring vanished, I reported to the others that they'd entered the spirit world then called Sloth and let her know it was time to begin the attack.
Spirits had been coming and going. Vaatu seemed to be able to nudge the animalistic intelligence controlling my body in small ways, mostly designating beings nearby friend or foe. Fortunately, he couldn't do much more than that, at least from within his prison.
With no enemies, my body sat at the center of the web woven in the branches of the tree Vaatu was imprisoned in. My eyes were closed as I drifted between sleeping and wakefulness, waiting for something to disturb my web or for Vaatu to provide a new enemy.
In my inner world, one of us was reading aloud the book describing describing the present at all times while the other three of us gathered the books representing everything I knew about hollowfication, spiritual imbalances, and throwing off external influences. I looked up from my reading and listened carefully when Ulanaq entered the portal looking flustered and unkempt, as though he hadn't been able to rest recently. Water bending healers had closed the wounds I'd punched through his chest with my Ultimate Spear, but I was happy to confirm they hadn't been able to restore his destroyed spirit energy.
"It's too bad he doesn't have spirit energy, said Araña. "I mean, one slip up and we're going to eat him, even assuming Vaatu doesn't order us to when he's outlived his usefulness. I mean, I know even before his powers were destroyed he wouldn't have been as tasty and filling as Loki was, but according to Yami, souls with no spirit energy taste terrible."
Ulanaq approached Vaatu and said, "Harmonic convergence is weeks away, and scouts have reported a Fire Nation war fleet heading for the blockade. What's more, the dark spirits I've sent after their ships have all been killed by a dog that can run on air. I thought you said your new pet here killed that dog."
"Either there was always more than one, or they know a way to empower ordinary dogs," said Vaatu. "It hardly matters. Even if the Water Tribe falls, we can hold out here until Harmonic Convergence with the protection of my spider. The important thing is opening the remaining portal so this won't all be for nothing."
"I've received a message that might make that easier," declared Ulanaq.
Ulanaq vanished in a way that manifestly wasn't apparition or high speed movement. He vanished without a sound and without fanfare. A short time later, he returned the same way only now holding Jinora hostage with her own zanpakto at her throat.
"We should have told her you can't be harmed by your own sword," said Tsumi no Rensa, "outside special circumstances."
"Unfortunately, we have no way to communicate that," I huffed. "Obviously, the other me didn't teach her that while we were away, which is annoying, but with her here, it's more important than ever we get back in control."
Screams came from the direction of the air temple. Korra and Jinora had been in the spirit world for about an hour. Tenzin's family were all gathered around the meditation circle waiting for them to return to their bodies, but there were still Air Acolytes up at the temple. The few hours they'd had to practice their newly granted air bending obviously didn't leave them prepared to fight whatever had shown up. I stood up and took a step toward the temple.
"Wait," said Tenzin. "You don't have your bending or your spiritual abilities. Let one of us go."
I picked up a rock and crushed it to powder in one hand and said, "Without my soul, my powers are diminished. They aren't gone. Stay here and if whatever this is manages to get past me, be ready to grab the bodies and flee. Because all of you together aren't winning a fight against something that can take me out."
At the temple, I saw two androgynous water tribe teens, Ulanaq's son Desna and daughter Eska, riding a dark spirit and lashing out at the monks with their water bending. The monks hadn't learned enough air bending to fly and the spirit was keeping the near identical twins out of range of retaliation.
I jumped, using my superhuman strength to easily get the needed height. Jets of water flew at me from rivers and wells below as the twins tried to knock me off course and off the mountain peak the air temple was perched on. I used the Ultimate Escape to become intangible and let the water pass through me. Landing on the dark spirit's back, I took advantage of my enhanced speed to land a dozen chi blocking strikes on each of them before they had a chance to retaliate. I grabbed the temporarily paralyzed twins and hopped back down to the air temple.
"Can someone tie these two up while I deal with the spirit?" I asked the monks tossing the water benders in a heap.
The dark spirit lunged at me its jaws wide. I could see all the way down its throat as the spirit prepared to swallow me whole. I drew a rifle from one of my belt pouches that was bigger on the inside. I raised the gun to my shoulder, took aim, and pulled the trigger. A ball of pink energy shot out of the gun and down the spirit's throat and exploded inside. My kido gun wouldn't purify a dark spirit, but it would disrupt its physical form and force it to reincarnate in the spirit world. After confirming the spirit was gone, I slid the gun back into my belt pouch.
I dropped the bound and gagged water benders a bit outside the meditation circle and said, "Ulanaq sent his kids to try and stop us. It doesn't look like anyone was hurt. Too bad he obviously doesn't care about them or we could try and do a hostage exchange."
Sloth and Korra arrived on the scene riding on the back of a golden creature that was a blend of a dragon and a phoenix. Vaatu nudged the rudimentary consciousness my body and suppressed my impulse to blast the creature out of the sky with a cero. Korra hadn't noticed Ulanaq and Jinora, and took a step toward the open portal to close it while Sloth kept her eyes on me.
"Come on," I said, frustrated. "She's here. She's got the light spirit inside her. That should cancel out Vaatu's influence and let me take control."
Ulanaq revealed himself with Jinora's sword still held to the girl's throat, and ordered Korra to step away from the open portal and go open the other one.
"Her presence is improving our balance," reported Vaccine. "It just isn't enough. Raava's light is being filtered through Korra's emotions and she doesn't know how to unleash it."
"It isn't enough to put you back in the driver's seat," said Araña, "but it is enough for me to take over. Vaatu's been pushing us toward our hollow side. I say we show him what a real hollow's like."
"You won't get to keep the body," I said, staring down my darker instincts.
"Maybe not, but I'll have it long enough to make Vaatu regret bringing me out," declared Araña as he vanished, leaving Vaccine, Tsumi no Rensa, and I to watch and wait.
In the outside world, Ulanaq's threats were interrupted by a boom of soinido as Araña appeared behind him. Slowing down just enough to make sure could see what was going on, Araña tore off Ulanaq's right arm. Ulanaq stared in shock at the blood spurting out of his shoulder as Araña casually discarded the limb and gripped Jinora's zanpakto, walking around to in front of them.
"Threatening her with this wasn't very smart," said Araña. Then he tossed the sword at Jinora, impaling her through the chest all the way to the hilt.
Jinora and Korra stared at where Jinora'd been stabbed. Sloth took a step forward.
"Greed?" she asked.
"The boss couldn't make it because someone can't be bothered to learn to control her powers," said Araña gesturing at Korra. "He sent me instead."
"You stabbed Jinora!" yelled Korra.
"A zanpakto is a part of its owner's soul," said Araña, rolling all eight eyes. He grabbed the hilt and roughly yanked out Jinora's zanpakto. Placing it in her stunned hands, he said, you can't be cut by your own zanpakto. You can be cut by someone else's though."
Araña grabbed Ulanaq's bleeding shoulder and pulled him to the side to show off where the blade that had passed harmlessly through Jinora's chest had stabbed Ulanaq in the stomach. Once he'd shown off Ulanaq's gut wound, he moved his hand revealing he'd halted the bleeding Ulanaq's shoulder with a blob of webbing secreted from his palm. Using that blob as a starting point, Araña spun Ulanaq and quickly cocooned him then tossed the cocoon up into the web among the tree branches.
"I want to talk to Greed," said Sloth, forming a yo-yo in her hand and advancing on Araña threateningly.
"We both know you can't back up that threat," said Araña. "Last time, you ran away when you had your homunculus powers and this body was just lashing out mindlessly."
Araña leaned to the left, contemptuously dodging the yo-yo Sloth threw at his face. A second yo-yo, he didn't bother to dodge was aimed at the center of his chest. Sloth poured extra magic into that attack, punching through the layered shield spells on my uniform and passing straight through the empty hole in my chest.
"Did you forget I have a hole in my resureccion forms?" asked Araña.
"No, but it looks like you forgot what I can do with it." Sloth dissolved her yo-yo inside my hollow hole revealing a small black cube concealed at its core.
Araña screamed in rage as the black cube generated an artificial negaccion field and sealed our body inside a newly created pocket dimension.
"You let your guard down," I said to Araña. "Why did you think it was a good idea to get into a pissing match with Sloth after she's had days to get ready for this? I thought you were supposed to be partly made of my survival instincts."
"Shut up," said Araña. "This cage can't hold a hollow with my spirit energy for very long."
"And she knows that," I said. "Do you think this five minute time out is the nastiest surprise she's got prepared? This was a warning shot. Take the hint and back down."
"Feel free to swap back in," declared Araña. "The negaccion field has us cut off from outside energies. Vaatu isn't unbalancing us here, but once we get back out there, you still won't be able to stay in control."
"And this is why I'm in charge no matter who runs the body," I said. "You can use all my powers when you're acting as the primary soul. Use forced manifestation to bring me out. That way Sloth won't kill us."
Pressing against the dimensional walls of our prison, Araña broke through and stepped back into the spirit world where Korra and Jinora were embracing and Sloth was waiting lazily tossing one of her yo-yos. Vaatu was still sealed in his tree behind Wan's barrier, impotent to do more than issue threats.
"Are you ready to play ball?" asked Sloth confidently.
"Fine. Here he is," said Araña. He reached down and pulled, and I found myself yanked out of my inner world and manifested as a spirit. "In fact, let's bring everyone out." Vaccine and Tsumi no Rensa manifested on either side of me.
"Greed?" confirmed Sloth.
"I'm here," I said, scooping her up in a tight hug.
"Now, we can leave, close the portal behind us, and you'll be trapped for another ten thousand years, Vaatu," said Korra.
"We aren't killing him?" I asked.
"I am the darkness," declared Vaatu. "To hate me is to nourish me. To fight me is to give me strength. Sealing me away was always the best you could hope for."
"Trying to kill Vaatu is what got you into this mess in the first place," said Korra. "We walk away and we win."
"Not good enough," said Araña.
"Vaatu took over our body and made us attack those we care about," said Vaccine.
"He made us eat our dog," I said.
"Even from within his prison, his corruption spreads," said Tsumi no Rensa.
All together, the four of us said, "He dies."
Araña tossed the sword at his hip to Tsumi no Rensa, who immediately released it to its shikais form as a length of chain. Vaccine caught my quincy cross and manifested a white long bow with light blue markings. Araña tossed me my substitute soul reaper badge which I used to focus my fullbring.
I was briefly wrapped in a ring of green flames as my fullbring activated. When the flames cleared, I was wearing a black bodysuit with bone white bands giving the impression of ribs while providing additional armor. My right arm was covered in solid black and red armor while the armor over my left arm was red and white. A curved short sword with my badge as its cross guard was in my right hand.
"How are you even going to attack him?" asked Korra. "Even if I open the other portal, he won't be able to break loose until Harmonic Convergence."
"There's more than one way to break a barrier," I said, gathering blue spirit energy along the edge of my blade. Swinging at Vaatu, the gathered energy launched as a destructive blast. As the energy released I called out the technique's name to boost its power. "Getsuga tensho!"
A line of bark was stripped away from the enormous ancient tree on either side of the hollow that formed Vaatu's prison. While the tree was only scarred by the mountain leveling force behind my attack, Avatar Wan's barrier shattered. My getsuga over penetrated, cutting Vaatu in half before being stopped by the bulk of the tree. The lower half of Vaatu's kite shaped body dissolved into nothingness, but his upper body flew gracefully out of the tree, his mass rearranging itself so he was whole again, just at half his original size.
"I thank you for my freedom," declared Vaatu. "Now, I will take my leave."
Vaatu began to vanish the same way Ulanaq had, but Tsumi no Rensa wrapped a length of chain around him and physically pulled him back before he could fully vanish.
"Spirit of darkness, you are going nowhere," declared Tsumi no Rensa.
"I was going to be generous," said Vaatu. "But if you insist, I shall simply kill Raava now and you can go back to being my attack dog."
Vaatu fired a purple beam from his core at Korra and Jinora. The former moved to shield the later with her body. Araña interposed himself, swallowing Vaatu's beam and regurgitating it back at the darkness spirit, blasting away another chunk of Vaatu's mass.
"Don't think I've forgotten how you got me blamed for this mess," said Araña who followed it up by blasting Vaatu's tentacles off with a dozen shining red balas from his fingertips.
As he regenerated his tentacles, Vaatu lashed out at us. A flicker of green bringer light under my feet let me close to melee range with Vaatu. I contemptuously cut off the tentacles he lashed out at me with as I gathered disks of energy on the fingertips of my left hand. Closing a fist, I punched Vaatu, calling out the technique, "La Muerte." Vaatu's body slammed into the ground, and below him, the earth crumbled apart in the shape of a stylized skulls.
As wisps of Vaatu disolved away, Tsumi no Rensa flash stepped next to me and said "You might have overdone it."
"No, it looks like I judged it about right," I said, pointing at the mouse sized Vaatu that was pulling itself out of the skull shaped crater.
Four blue quincy arrows struck the ground around Vaatu as Vaccine's discouragement from trying to escape. Araña picked up the spirit and stuck him in the center of a hastily woven web between two rocks.
"Slight problem," I said to the others. "My quincy bangle is in my other body's utility belt. Sloth, did you bring yours?"
"The other me's bringing it," said Sloth. "She should be arriving any minute now."
"That was unbelievable," said Korra. "You were toying with Vaatu."
"What was it Aizen said?" mused Tsumi no Rensa, staring at a particular link in his chain. "It's difficult to step on a bug without crushing it. We had to weaken Vaatu without delivering the finishing blow and that took some calibration."
It really was only a few minutes before Sloth's homunculus self arrived through the portal. After merging with her other self and putting her ring back in her bracelet, Sloth took out a silver wrist band with a small, four barred cross dangling from a chain attached to it. She held the device out to Korra.
"This is a quincy bangle," explained Sloth. "It will allow anyone who wears it to temporarily use quincy powers, most importantly their soul destroying arrows. I think you deserve to be the one to end the cycle once and for all."
"How do I use it?" asked Korra.
"Allow me," said Vaccine, stepping forward to instruct Korra, correct her aim and form, and ensure her arrow would fly true.
Korra's one and only shot was fired from close range on a bound and stationary target. Vaatu disintegrated into nothingness and I could feel the balance in my soul right itself. Vaccine, Tsumi no Rensa, and I vanished back into my inner world and I retook possession of my spiritual body and my full powers from Araña.
I released my resureccion form, my hollow hole closing and my mask crumbling away. I summoned my quincy cross, my zanpakto, and my substitute badge, putting them back where they belonged. Then I drew my wand and used it to mend my shirt. Sloth stepped out through the portal and brought Loki in. I dropped to my knees and petted the dog.
"I am so sorry about what happened, boy. I would never hurt you on purpose, and I'm going to make this up to you."
"I'll get Ulanaq down and bring him to Tanraq," said Sloth, hopping up onto the web. "You can close the portal once Loki, Greed, and I are out."
"Maybe I shouldn't," said Korra contemplatively.
"What do you mean, Korra?" asked Jinora.
"I mean, maybe Ulanaq was right about some things," said Korra. "What if Avatar Wan made a mistake separating humans and spirits? Vaatu's gone for good. I could leave both portals open and give humans a chance to try living side by side."
"This is your world," I told Korra. "If you think that's what's best, that's what you should do. Opening the northern portal would be pretty convenient for me, since I still need to go to the north pole to deal with my water bending."
Author's comments:
The four on one fight against Vaatu with all of Greed's inner spirits was fun to write. Each of them having a separate reason to want to stick it out and kill Vaatu after what happened with them all agreeing he dies together was a bit I'm particularly fond of.