Chapter 21 – The Darkest of Days

Republic City Police Station

Iron Man flew towards the police station, landing right on the entrance. Next to him was Korra who had come to the station running. "You could've taken me." Korra told the man in the gold-red armor as she tried to regain her breath.

"Ready to get your friends?" Iron Man asked her.

"How? They are under police custody." Korra replied.

"Pfft, watch and learn." Iron Man said entering the station which was full of detectives; they walked towards the metalbending police officer on the main entrance. "I want to see the people that Councilman Tarrlok imprisoned a day ago."

"A man made of metal…comes here and demands attention? Boy I think you…" The officer was going to respond back when he was stopped mid-sentence.

"I'm here by demand of Kuro Shinzou, owner of Shinzou Enterprises. You wouldn't want trouble with the big guy huh?" Iron Man swiftly said.

"Uh…no, of course not. Come in, they're to the left." The officer allowed them inside.

"Wow, I'm the Avatar but here you mention a bozo's name and they let you in." Korra said not believing what just happened.

"Money my lady, money runs the world. Now come on, let's get those friends of yours." They entered the metal halls of the prison area of the police headquarters.

"Mako! Thor! Anyone!?" Korra yelled her voice was amplified by the metallic walls of the hallway.

"Korra!?" Mako and Thor responded.

"Got them, stand back." Iron Man said, walking towards the third metal gate to the right, ripping it open. From it came walking out Mako and Bolin who shared the cell.

"Whoa…Korra, should've told us that you brought heavy back-up." Bolin said.

"His Iron Man, a super-hero! A real one!" Korra stated.

"You're making me blush." Iron Man replied, ripping two gates open at the same time, allowing Thor and Asami come out of their respective holding cells.

"You're looking real shiny there, guy." Thor said looking at the taller man of iron and bolts. Iron Man gave him thumbs up. "I like this guy."

"When Tarrlok finds out that you broke us out…" Asami said.

"Tarrlok's dead." Korra revealed, surprising the group. "He was killed by Magneto and…Amon."

"Oh…well, not gonna say I feel sorry for him." Thor responded crossing his arms.

"That doesn't matter now, Amon and his new team of 'villains' are going to…" Korra was interrupted by an explosion outside and the sound of the metalbending officers screaming. "What the?!"

"I don't like the sound of that." Iron Man said stomping out of the holding cells area and back into the lobby. The others followed him out; the lobby was empty, with no one standing guard. The sounds of fighting were coming from the courtyard outside.

They stepped out just to find Republic City under attack; the Equalists had finally begun their endgame. Airships flew above raining terror upon the city below, ground troopers sweeping with ferocity through the streets and killing anyone who stood in their way.

This wasn't a movement anymore, this was outright war and this war was not for the people anymore, but for bloodshed. Lord Doom watched from atop his personal airship, smirking at the destruction his empowered Equalists raged below.

Next to him were his Horsemen, Skurge the Executioner and Deimos the Warrior. They too shared the sadistic nature of their boss but lacked the cold tactical genius that Doom possessed. In the corner was Hiroshi Sato who was watched in complete horror what his innovations and machines broke havoc on the populace. He had joined the former Amon because he truly believed that benders had to be taught a lesson…but he never expected this. This genocidal war that Doom has unleashed, both benders and non-benders were being exterminated.

"You should feel proud Sato." Doom said gaining Hiroshi's attention. "You are the one responsible for this." Doom tormented the old man, putting guilt in his already emotionally disturbed mind.

Sato could not speak, words escaped his mouth. Doom smiled and turned his view back to the destruction of the city. Hiroshi took out his old watch which contained a photo of him, his wife and a little Asami. He began to sob softly not wanting Doom and his lackeys to hear him…

Back below, Team Avatar and Iron Man held their positions while they were attacked by all directions by corrupted Equalist troopers. "What happened to these guys!? They look really weird!" Bolin yelled avoiding the powerful strikes of the troopers.

"I don't know, just take them out!" Korra rebutted. Iron Man swooped down from the skies and rammed three of the Equalist troopers with ease.

"These guys are like ramming a concrete wall, something's definitely up with them." Iron Man stated, looking at his metal shoulder pads which had been dented. "Don't punch them, or else you will regret it!"

Mako bended lightning at the coming troopers, chaining electricity through the four of them, brings them down. "Got it!" Mako responded, Thor not having a metal armor or bending did next best thing. He grabbed a metal pipe from the ground and proceeded to smack his way out.

"This is way better than your fancy glove, rich girl!" Thor said to Asami.

"Well prince boy, take a look at this!" Asami responded, electrifying about two of the bigger troopers and knocking them out.

"Beginner's luck!" Thor replied, soon enough the battle ended and what seemed to be an endless wave of dark troopers laid on the concrete ground unconscious.

"Look at them…" Korra said taking out the mask of one of the Equalists. His face was grey and his eyes were black. He looked dead already… "This is bad."

"What is Amon doing to his people?" Mako asked.

"We have to confront…" Korra was about to say when she noticed that a handful of airships were nearing Air Temple Island. "No…we have to go!"

"Go where?!" Bolin asked.

"Back to the temple! Come on!"

Asgard

Loki walked freely though the Asgardian battle ground, dead warriors lied beneath him with swords and mallets still at hand. The newly appointed God of Chaos smiled as he looked at the corpses of both Asgardian and Jotun alike. It was a sight and smell that would make anyone recoil in disgust but Loki embraced it.

He entered the Royal Armory, nearby the last of fornications that the Einherjar still held. Inside, Loki looked at the ancient relics and weapons of war that Odin and Bor before him had been keeping from use. The Eye of Agammotto, the Rune of Magics, the Cosmic Rod, and the ever mysterious Spear of Destiny. But the one relic that caught Loki's attention was the legendary hammer that stood valiantly in the center of the armory and was Odin's most prized posesion…

Mjolnir, the crusher of the heavens, the one tool and weapon that would smite the skies and hells alike. No other item was its rival in both majestic beauty and incredible power. Only the worthy could carry and wield its awesome power and who else was more worthy than the conqueror of the realms?

Loki grabbed its handle and pulled…and pulled. The hammer didn't move, not even a little. "Come on you stupid thing, move!" Loki yelled as he pulled on the mystic hammer. But nothing, it didn't move.

Loki gave up; he cursed on the hammer and turned to make his exit. Unknowingly to the God of Chaos, the hammer began to emit bit electricity…and the ancient scriptures written on it began to glow.

Outside, Loki approached the walls erected by the last remaining protectors of Asgard, the Einherjar. The wall surrounded the Odinpalace, protecting what remained of the royal family.

"Oh great warriors of Asgard, it is Loki!" Loki presented himself upon the warriors who were led by Heimdall, the protector of the Bifrost who had retreated from his position to protect the palace of the All-Father.

"Loki…" Heimdall said, standing next to him was his younger sister, Sif. She was as old as Thor and Loki, as a mature seventeen year old young goddess, Sif had trained with the Valkyries themselves in the art of combat. "Stand your guard men!"

The warriors prepared for the worse as they watched upon the lord of lies standing below their wall of stone. "I have come with grave news! Vanaheim and Alfheim have fallen to the Jotun Horde!"

"No…the Valkyries." Sif said with sadness.

"And your Prince Balder had been wounded in battle! By a mistletoe arrow and then beheaded by the dark forces!" Loki revealed, and took out the bag that hanged from his belt. "Here is your God of Light!"

He threw the bag to the ground and rolling out of it was the head of Balder Odinson, the youngest of the princes. The warriors gasped in horror as they watched their beloved prince's head rolling on the ground…this meant one thing. "Ragnarok my friends!" Loki shouted. "And what better way to start the celebrations but with a feast, and no simple feast but a glorious one!"

Loki then used his given dark powers to open a portal to the dark Spirit Wilds and releasing the Dark Spirits upon the warriors. "Feast my dark brethren! Feast on these gods! FEAST!" Loki shouted and laughed wickedly as the spirits attacked the gods.

The warriors swung their swords and shields, trying to damage the semi-ethereal beings that were the spirits. Hemidall and Sif retreated from the wall, trying to not get killed by the waves of dark spirits being unleashed upon them. The warriors followed their lead, entering the palace and closing the gates.

Republic City

After repealing the Equalists from the temple, the team rested before they went back to the city. During that rest, Tenzin's youngest child has been born. He had named him Rohan, it was a moment of peace for them all.

"I'm afraid more are coming." Iron Man stepped where inside the room, "I am sorry."

Tenzin sighed; there was only one thing to do. Once outside Tenzin ordered the White Lotus Sentries to get the Sky Bisons ready, he was about to evacuate the whole temple. All Air Acolytes took their spots in each bison and went for the Southern Water Tribe; Tenzin brought Oogi out for him and his family.

"What do we do now Tenzin?" Korra asked her mentor.

"We wait, I want you and the rest to stay hidden until all is passed." Tenzin said.

"To wait?! We can't, everything is being…" Korra replied.

"I have already communicated with Colonel Fury and he has called for the United Forces. They will be here in two days." Tenzin informed her and the others. "Korra, I'm not saying that we should give up, all I'm saying is that…"

"We should be patient." Korra ended his sentence, understanding that right now they could do nothing to prevent Amon from taking over. They were too powerful and the surprise attack had only weakened everyone. "I understand."

"You have come a far way Korra, I'm proud of you." Tenzin said, Korra smiled. Coming from the docks was Colonel Fury and Lin Beifong who had come back to action after the initial attack.

"We got here as fast as we could." Lin said.

"Everyone okay?" Fury asked.

"We're fine, Colonel and Lin. My family and I are leaving." Tenzin said using his bending to hop on top of Oogi.

"I'm coming with you; I have to do my part." Lin said, offering to protect them on the way to the south. Tenzin nodded and Lin joined them on the sky bison.

"You kids better get to somewhere secure, the city has become a warzone, and SHIELD is on high alert." Fury told them.

"We will." Korra replied, and then Fury saw Iron Man among them.

"Well well, if it is the shell head again." Fury said.

"Evening Colonel Fury, I see that you haven't age one bit." Iron Man replied.

"You two know each other?" Thor asked.

"We go way back, actually I know who and how he got his little tin suit." Fury said while smirked.

"A story for another time, old man." Iron Man responded. "I have a place where you five can stay until the United Forces arrive."

"Good, then let's go." Korra said.

As they left the island aboard one of the boats, Korra saw how the city was surrounded by smoke and the sound of war raging. She had failed and it had been tearing her apart, reaching shore they followed Iron Man towards an underground entrance beneath the city park. There they departed from Colonel Fury who retreated into the alleys of the city without being spotted.

Inside the underground complex, Thor and Korra lagged behind. "You okay?" Thor asked.

"I failed the city…how can I…how can they regain hope in me?" Korra asked.

"Listen, what happened up there was unknown to us. They struck hard and fast while we were defenseless. What we are going to do now is to plan on how to kick these Equalists so hard that they will never show their faces ever again." Thor replied.

Korra slowly nodded, "I hope you're right."

Asgard

Within the armory, the hammer of the skies, Mjolnir began to move by itself. It fell from its pedestal and struck the ground with a loud thud. Energy began to encircle it and hovered on the air.

The hammer then flew out of the armory, ripping through concrete and steel and to the outside. Then it, as lightning itself, banished into the horizon.