Chapter 9 – The Spirit of Competition Part 1

Pro-Bending Arena, Republic City

It had been a couple of days since the duel and Korra had started to cope with her fear of Amon. Mako had asked them to train a bit more before the finals since they needed to beat the other teams in the tournament. Mako had also gotten the pot money to enter, his girlfriend, Asami, is the daughter of Future Industries owner Hiroshi Sato and he had funded the Fire Ferrets.

Korra, Bolin and Mako trained, going free-for-all and strengthening their solo skills in the event one of them was left standing. Thor watched as they trained, his inability to bend was evident. He had lost all of his elemental control when his powers were taken from him by Odin.

But for some reason he didn't miss his divinity that much at all. Thor liked being an average mortal, without his godhood he can feel alive. Alive to do things like…fight without killing anyone in accident and love without being told otherwise. Thor didn't have to worry about royal etiquette or things like that.

"Hey Thor, wanna train with us?" Korra asked the young prince as he was lost in thought.

"But I can't bend." Thor replied as he walked towards them.

"You don't have to; we just need to know how to avoid punches and kicks." Mako said as he sparred with Bolin. "Bolin! No low punches!"

Korra took stance opposite to Thor who was putting a pair of pro-bending gloves. "You ready goldie?" Korra taunted.

"More than ready." Thor replied as he took his Asgardian battle stance. Korra ran towards him and tried to do an upper cut but was blocked by Thor. He smiled as he felt the strike and looked at Korra.

Thor countered by grabbing Korra's arm and pulling it in a submission lock. Korra felt the sting and quickly reacted, headbutting Thor in the face. The headbutt made the young prince release Korra who then punched him in the gut and later kicked him in the knees making him fall on the floor.

The prince warrior of Asgard was surprised by the sudden combination of strikes, he hadn't seen them coming. Korra tried to kick in the ground but he rolled out of the way, and swiftly stood back up. Thor still had his smile on his face, making Korra wonder that he was actually enjoying the brawl.

Mako and Bolin stopped their sparring and took a small rest. "Good fight bro, I thought I was going to lose right there." Mako said.

"Ya, I'm really tired." Bolin replied, they both turned to see if Thor and Korra were done. Thor and Korra had been a tight submission lock with each other, looking at each other deeply. Both of them smirked and didn't move a muscle.

"Uh guys…time's up." Mako said, bringing Thor and Korra back to reality.

"Oh…right." Thor said as he relaxed and stopped the submission move releasing Korra.

"Yeah…my bad." Korra added as she looked at Mako and then at Thor.

"Let's take a day off before the final, we've been training enough. I think we have what we need to win." Mako said confidently.

"Not without these you don't."

"Asami?" Mako said as his girlfriend appeared holding one of the new uniforms of the Fire Ferrets. They kissed quickly. "These are amazing Asami, now we can do this!"

They continued to kiss making Korra want to hurl. "Korra do you need to use the sink?" Thor asked.

"No I'm fine." She replied as Mako and Asami left. Thor nodded and headed out leaving the pro-bending gloves on a nearby stool. Bolin and Korra left as they talked about new strategies for their next match.

Air Temple Island

Snow began to fall, the cool air breezed through the garden of the temple. There Korra helped Pema collect the day's fruits and vegetables. "Pema." Korra said.

"Yes Korra?"

"Have you ever well…been attracted to…two people?"

"Uhh…no." Pema replied. "But I think I know what you should do."

"Really?" Korra asked.

"What you should do is what your heart tells you to do. Don't over think it, just go with your heart and you'll know." Pema said, Korra smiled at a sudden thought.

Thor was in his room, meditating, trying to find a way to connect to Asgard. But he couldn't, something blocked his mind from entering the eternal kingdom.

But then he felt a strange presence…The Son of Odin, what a surprise.

The voice made Thor sweat on his forehead and shiver in fear. This fear…it was like the fear of the…dark.

The Convergence is only months away…and my return shall bring darkness to the universe. To all realms and kingdoms. Ten thousand years of darkness! Imagine it Son of Asgard, Son of Earth, Son of Odin and Son of Jord, eternal darkness! Hahahaha…!

Thor opened his eyes, he didn't what he heard but all he saw was obscurity…he felt paralyzed and scared. In all his years he has finally tasted fear itself. He stood up and looked out the window, snow…the winter winds made this the more fitting.

The last time he had heard of the Convergence was when he was a little boy, but he had been told that it was just a legend. A myth much liked how they were to the mortals…but it sounded like it wasn't. Whatever spoke to him would have to wait, there's a maniac out there and he has to be stopped.

Thor walked out of his room and bumped into Korra. "Sorry." Thor said as he kept walking towards the courtyard.

Korra looked at him as he walked out in a hurry; he stopped on the way out and looked at the sky. He then turned towards the outside and left.

Thor was still nervous from that thing that spoke to him; he had to get it off his mind. Amora was around here somewhere and Loki was showing his true colors. So many things…and the war at home made it even worse. The only person that made it go away was Korra…Thor sighed and remembered today's practice. He laughed and forgot all his troubles.

Pro-Bending Arena

It was the quarter-finals and it looked like the Fire Ferrets were going to the semi-finals. Thor wanted to congratulate Korra for their win and decided to go to the city and get her something nice. He had bought her something that Tenzin had told him to buy for her anyway…an airbending book.

Thor read some of it; he didn't believe that these people flew like the spirits and the Aesir. It was uncanny that mortals had once mastered the art of flying through the clouds.

"My friend, have you seen the Avatar?" Thor asked one of the janitors.

"She's outside with one of the Fire Ferret brothers." He replied.

"Thank you." Thor walked through the back exit and looked for them. He might as well congratulate whoever of the brothers was there too. He saw them from a distance, Thor smiled that their hard work had finally paid off.

Then Thor froze in place…and the sound of a book hitting the concrete ground. Korra and Mako turned around.

"Oh no…" Mako said as he stepped back away from Korra. Thor was at first dumbstrucked…his blue eyes widened in shock. But then his visage change to anger…pure anger.

"Thor wait!" Korra shouted, the angered god turned on his heels and walked way. The skies rumbled and it started to rain. Korra ran to catch up to him but once she cut the corner he was gone. "No…"

Republic City Park

The furious Thor stomped his way to the park, the rain intensified as he feel on his knees and looked at the thundering heavens.

"Father!" He screamed. "Is this your plan!? Tell me! Why have you forsaken your son!?"

Lightning rushed through the black clouds and thunder boomed across the cool air. Thor stood up, feeling an intense hatred burning within him. The feared warrior's madness wanted to consume him, to make him hate everything around him. To destroy anyone in his way…but he resisted it.

He loved this world too much…but… "Why have you forsaken me, father?" Thor asked as he felt someone walking next to him.

"I told you brother, nothing but hypocrites."

"You were right…I was blinded by beauty and words." Thor said as he punched the snowy ground. "I had believed her…I believed in myself. But it was all false like before."

"I'm truly sorry brother, but we gods were never meant to mingle among mortals. We were meant to rule them. Treat them like the dogs they were." Loki said as looked upon the horizon with a smirked in his lips.

"Leave me with my thoughts, Loki." Thor said, Loki smiled and walked away. The rain began to die down; Thor stood back on his feet and looked at his hands.

"Fool. A fool I was." Thor said as he walked away into the city.