Chapter 18 – Behold a Pale Horse
Air Temple Island
It was late in the morning and Korra had just finished eating her breakfast. "Ahh…that was good." Korra said finishing her bowl of cereal. Some days had passed since Asami, Mako and Bolin had moved in with them in the temple. For Korra this was perfect, all of her friends now were literally a couple of steps away from her.
She placed her bowl in the sink and went to see where the others were. Outside Thor was looking at the clear morning sky. "What's up goldielocks?" Korra asked as she hugged him from behind, but he didn't reply. "Thor?"
Thor quickly snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Korra. "Huh?"
"You okay?"
"Uh…I'm fine." Then they were joined by the others.
"Morning!" Bolin yelled. "How about we do something fun today!?"
"Bolin would you stop yelling?" Mako asked his younger brother.
"Sorry bro."
"I have to go with Tenzin to City Hall and witness the promotion of Saikhan as the new Chief of Police." Korra said. "Sorry guys."
"No problem, we can do something else until you come back." Asami replied.
"Actually I have to do something…too." Thor said.
"What is it?" Korra asked.
"It's secret…" Thor replied and then walked away towards the dock. Korra and the others were left wondering why Thor was acting so weird and off-putting.
Somewhere Else
Amon walked through a burned down forest along with his Lieutenant and some Chi-Blockers. "Amon, what are we supposed to be doing here?" The Lieutenant asked.
"I was told there had been an attack of benders here." Amon replied, they were cautious as they looked around every corner for firebenders.
"Watch your sixes." The Lieutenant told the Chi-Blockers.
Then the ground shook and the air got heavier around them. The dead trees grew around them and encircled them.
AMON…Amon…
A dark voice came out of every corner. The Equalists looked around in panic until it got too dark to see.
Amon felt how the other Equalists around him dropped onto the ground.
Welcome Amon…
Then a dark light allowed Amon to see an immense figure standing before him. Was this the so call empowerment that Loki had promise him?
"Who said that…?" Amon asked feeling the awesome power radiating from the dark being.
I am Ares.
"Show yourself…" Amon replied, the dark being walking towards him, it got bigger and bigger with every approach.
I have summoned you here for a purpose.
"No one summons me!" Amon responded clearly mad for this beings actions, he raised his arms and…nothing happened. The entity kept coming closer.
Then it pleases me to be the first.
"State your business."
This is my command…you are to annihilate the godling known as the Avatar. She is the one thing, the only thing that stands in my way.
"You have nothing to fear, I am already in the process of destroying her!" Amon responded.
You exaggerate.
"No! The point is that she is going to be the last one to taste my reckoning!"
No…the point is that you are fool! The Avatar lives and that means that you can be defeated. If she is not quelled then all of your efforts will be in vain. Destroy her for me.
"Why should I?!" Amon was still defiant. "What do you bargain!?"
Your bargaining posture is highly dubious…but very well. I shall give you the means to accomplish this task.
"And?"
And NOTHING! You belong to me now.
"I belong to nobody!" Amon responded, then the dark light turned crimson and Amon could feel his skin boiling underneath his clothes.
Perhaps I misjudged you…proceed on your way to oblivion.
The ground shook once more and this time, the Equalist leader could feel it sucking him deep into the earth. He could feel his skin peeling apart and his blood boiling. The pain was immeasurable.
"I accept your terms! I accept! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHG!" Amon screamed to the top of his lungs.
Excellent.
Instead of being vaporized in the most violent way possible, Amon was surrounded by a strange yet wonderful power. It flew throughout his body, changing it drastically. Even his garbs were modified to fit his new self.
Behold… LORD DOOM!
Amon was no more, now in his place was Lord Doom; he was more menacing than Amon would ever be. His dark green hood covered his metallic facemask; a cape flew on top of the armor that was on top of his whole body, spikes on came out of his shoulders and a red dark glow coming from his eyes.
And these…shall be your Horsemen.
The Lieutenant and the Chi-Blockers were too changed to fit their new roles.
Skurge, the Executioner and his destroyers…the Warmongers.
To another high-ranking Chi-Blocker and another two Equalists…
Deimos, the Warrior and his Journeymen.
The Equalist had been forever changed, this marked to coming of the Dark Age. The dark being spoke once more…
Now go…destroy the Avatar.
"I will rip open the Avatar and any other fool who stands in my way!" Lord Doom stated. "To Republic City, we have things to prepare."
The dark being watched his heralds vanish into the air. Ares smirked, now that the Convergence was nigh, his influence grew. He laughed and disappeared.
Air Temple Island
Thor was meditating quietly where Tenzin meditated usually. Then he felt it…like a bolt of electricity rushing up his spine and hitting his brain. "That was…weird." Thor said rubbing the back of his head.
He looked around and sighed. He had been trying to connect to the mystical energies of Asgard for days now and it still nothing. Maybe he was permanently banned from Asgard and the other realms.
The young prince of thunder walked out of the meditating area and noticed a sky bison approaching the temple. "How long have I been meditating…?" He asked himself. Thor shrugged and went to meet Tenzin and Korra.
"Hey, how did it go?" Thor asked the two as they jumped off Oogi.
"I have to do something." Korra responded, walking pass Thor.
"What happened?" Thor asked the master airbender.
Tenzin shook his head, implying that something wasn't right while he walked Oogi to the sky bison yard.
The young Asgardian knew there was something wrong, something happened at the inauguration. He went to see if she was all right but he saw her sitting on the back yard of the temple overlooking Avatar Aang's statue.
Thor didn't make a sound, not wanting to interrupt Korra with her meditation. But then he herd sobbing, Korra was crying alone. Thor had to do something, and so he did. Instead of speaking he just walked up to her and sat next to Korra.
"Once when I was little…my father told me his stories about how he went through the realms conquering and destroying supposed twisted kings." Thor began; Korra wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked at him. "I told him, 'I want to be just like you when I become king.'. Then he shushed me and said to me that a good king never looks for war against his neighbors that a good king takes care of his people first above all."
"I like to think that I've been making him proud ever since but…before I was banished he told me…how disgraceful and ungrateful I was. That he was utterly disappointed in me and that…hurt me more than anything." Thor opened up to Korra.
"Heh…I guess we both are alike. We both are disappointments; I'm the worst Avatar ever." Korra replied as she looked at the statue of Aang.
"No, you are none of those things. You actually help people; you do everything for the good of everyone. Korra, you are perfect!" Thor said standing up. "I would've been in dark if it hadn't been for you, you brought me light Korra."
Korra smiled and stood up as well. "Well at least I did something right." Korra said. She hugged him and held to each other for a while. "Thanks." She said.
"That's what I'm here for." Thor replied.
Asgard
Balder was polishing his sword, the outer walls had fallen and the force of the Giants had entered the city. Warriors from all over Asgard went to meet the giants and had pushed them back a far bit before establishing a defensive position on the fallen wall.
The God of Light was preparing for entering the battle once more, but before he did tragedy struck. "Balder!" A woman screamed. Balder quickly stood up, he grabbed his helmet and placed on his head and exited his private quarters.
"What is it!?" Balder asked.
"The All-Father! He has fallen!" The servant responded, the Light God gasped and quickly ran towards the throne room.
Entering the great hall, he found a sickly Odin on the ground with Queen Frigga panicking over her husband. "Father!" Balder yelled.
He quickly ran towards him and helped him stand up. "My son…the time has come." Odin said lowly.
"Father…" Balder said.
"The Odinsleep has caught up with me and I must…enter the Slumber…of the Gods." Odin replied. "Take me…to my quarters."
Inside his room was a bed prepared just for the occasion, Balder and Frigga helped the Old One Eye into it. "I leave…the Realm Eternal…in your hands, my son." Odin told Balder, and then he closed his eyes falling into the Odinsleep.
Balder clenched his fists and yelled in anger. He was no king, he wasn't prepared. "Mother…call the Elite Guard to protect you and father." Balder said.
"Balder, what are you going to do?" Frigga asked her youngest son.
"I'm going to war." Balder responded walking out of the room. As soon as he exited the palace, there was an immense earthquake…the seven sealed has been broken.
The skies turned red as blood and the giants began to become empowered with a sudden rage. They ran through the defensive lines and broke havoc once again.
Balder heard what he believed to be laugher… he disregarded it and ran to join the Asgardian warriors in battle.
Once there he noticed that the giants were gaining ground and were now being supported by Spirits. "Great spirits of the wild! Why do you help these giants!?" Balder yelled, his answer was a swarm of Spirits attacking him.
He took out his swords and slashed the incoming spirits. "Of course! The day of reckoning approaches!" Balder said. "Darkness comes to swallow the light! Well the God of Light will not go done easily!"
Unknown Location
Magneto, Red Skull and Deadpool were sitting in their meeting room. They had been called to reunite once more and to hear Amon's new plan.
"This better be good, I don't want to be late for another meeting." Red Skull said.
"What, you need a haircut?" Deadpool asked.
"Well whatever it is, it's important. Amon wouldn't summon us spontaneously." Magneto stated, and then a voice resonated from the darkness.
"Absolutely."
"Amon?" Deadpool asked, and then he came out walking out of the shadows with his Horsemen.
"No, Amon is no more, I am Lord Doom." Lord Doom responded.
"What is the meaning of this!?" Magneto yelled, they had been surrounded by the several Equalists who had been changed, red eyes blinked in the darkness.
"Your current forms are of need changing. To be equal to us." Lord Doom said. "Masters of Evil…receive your birthright!"
Dark energies engulfed the enclosed space and began to change the ones inside.