Jordan had to tell protect the galaxy at all costs. His battle against the Wolf now was pushing him to his limit. Then an idea crossed his mind. While the Gumarians held the Wolf at bay, Jordan prepared to use his teleportation ability and he transferred himself and the Wolf to a region of Oban far away from either temple the Creators were in.
"Avatar..." Hunta said. "When he realized what had happened. "You teleported the Wolf with you?!"
Kezi felt a tremor more powerful than all the rest. She sat up with the baby in her arms before Jordan appeared out of nowhere, picked them up, and teleported them to a distant region of Oban.
"You alright?" he asked when they had reached the ground.
"Yes." she replied. "Jordan..."
"Somehow I managed to get this far...but my strength is draining. But there are things I must...protect..." He thought of Kezi and Marnaya and all their friends who were in danger now. Turning away to face the Wolf, he clenched his fists in determination. "Precious things. And as long as have those, I won't stop." He began to approach the Wolf, preparing to attack.
"Wait."
Jordan turned back to look at Kezi. She looked down at Marnaya gently before Jordan saw her determination on her face.
"I can still...I can still...do it."
She concentrated hard, and turned her back toward the Wolf. Chains of light flew upward from her back before nose diving into the ground. They traveled underground to where the Wolf was, then shot upward and wrapped around the monster. He struggled against them, but they wrapped tighter and pulled him to the ground.
"You! You little-" the Wolf railed.
Kezi coughed violently after she'd suppressed him; "Kez!" Jordan yelled as he went back to her. She was breathing hard as she spoke.
"I'll take...the Wolf with me..."
"Kezi...you won't survive a resealing." Jordan replied anxiously. "While on Oban, we may be technically immortal for 10,000 years...but THIS..."
"It's...the best I can do...to help...to help you two."
Jordan hugged the mother and daughter tightly. He wasn't about to let Kezi sacrifice herself to kill the Wolf. There had to be another way...
"Kezi, you don't have to die to kill the Wolf. I have an idea." Kezi looked up at him in surprise.
"It wouldn't be wise to seal up all of him in one place again. So...I'll try to destroy part of it. From conversations with Hunta...I can do this easily. But the other half..."
He looked down at the ground before standing up and walking away from the girls. Then he finished his plan.
"...I'm going to get Hunta to seal inside Marnaya."
Kezi wrapped the baby tighter in her arms and looked at Jordan confused and scared.
"I know what you're going to say." Jordan said. "But I have to reasons for my reasoning. Remember how Hunta described the burden of being a Keeper came with great strength. We have to believe in her. She's our daughter anyway." He prepared to use an ancient sealing the Creators taught him when he was first crowned. It was a safe but effective way to seal away something like the Wolf forever. However, the Wolf was too powerful so only half would be effectively sealed away...
"It's because...she's our daughter..."
Jordan turned to look at her again as she continued.
"That's why I don't...want her to have to bear...such a heavy burden! Why? Why does Marnaya have to be sacrificed... for the galaxy? Why?"
Jordan walked back over to her and stood in front; he waited until she stopped sobbing before he spoke.
"To forsake one's galaxy...and one's planet...is the same as forsaking one's child." Kezi grew silent at this, knowing he was right. He used his power and took half of the Wolf's power away, sealed away forever, never to return. It was surprisingly easy.
"Now to seal the rest inside Marnaya." Jordan said. He reached for the baby and Kezi retracted a bit. But she allowed him to take Marnaya and place her on the ground.
He did as Hunta had told him to do in case he wasn't around to prepare. As soon as he was finished, he placed the baby inside the sealing ring.
Kezi coughed violently again as she was growing weaker. The chains she was using weren't as tight around the Wolf now. Realizing what the two teens were about to do, the Wolf moved fast as soon as he could.
"Here's my chance!" the Wolf yelled as he prepared to kill the baby.
Jordan and Kezi saw his motions...and his target. Jordan quickly stood up with his back toward the Wolf to shield Kezi and Marnaya. But before he realized it, he felt himself bumping into Kezi, who took the same position in front of him to shield Marnaya. The claw went straight through Jordan then Kezi. Both tried to plant their feet to stop the claw from touching their baby. They barely succeeded.
Kezi's chains reinforced themselves around the Wolf, now unable to move. Jordan and Kezi coughed violently at the trauma. Jordan's voice was angry as he spoke.
"I'm her father. Protecting her...my right."
After a few huffs, Kezi retorted.
"I'm her mother...it's...my right, too." Her eyes drifted to her newborn baby. Tears filled her eyes as she spoke to Jordan.
"Fine...you're right. This is...the first time...I've admitted it. It proves how...serious you are."
"Thanks...Kez."
"In case...we DO...die-"
"We won't...die...Kez. Only mogur trauma will...kill us. The Creators...told me...this when I asked them about it...We'll be healed and...survive."
Kezi leaned her head back as she tried to get air into her body. Then she looked down at the infant, still sleeping. "Marnaya..."
Jordan grabbed her hand and calmly said, "You'll get to...tell her...everything...we're not going to die...Kez."
Hunta and the other Gumarians arrived at the scene, shocked at what they had found. Hunta didn't waste anytime on the seal. Soon the rest of the Wolf was inside a new Keeper. He rushed to help Jordan and Kezi who'd collapsed on the ground after the Wolf was transferred.
"Avatar...Kezianna..." he whispered. He could see the two were going to survive, thanks to the powers the Creators had given them. Extremely lucky...
Jordan woke up on a bed, the bright light hurting his eyes. He sat up, only to hiss in pain. Then he recalled everything. He looked around the room; no sign of Kezi or Marnaya. He jumped out of bed in quick search of them, worried something bad had happened.
He ran into Hunta on the way out. Hunta looked surprised to see him. "Avatar?"
"Where's Kezi? And Marnaya?" Jordan demanded.
"In that room. But you need to-"
Jordan ignored the Gumarian and the pain in his abdomen as he quickly walked to where Hunta had pointed.
He walked in surprised to see Kezi sitting up in a bed. She had a shawl draped over her. Jordan was relieved when he saw Kezi, but started to panic when he didn't see Marnaya.
"Where's is she?" he asked her gently.
"Underneath the shawl." Kezi replied. When she noticed Jordan didn't understand, she explained.
"She woke up crying. So I'm feeding her."
"Oh..."
He walked over to the two of them, so glad they were both alright. Jordan asked, "How're you not in pain?"
Kezi looked at him confused. Then she answered, "I am. Though you have to remember...I've been stabbed before. The Creators said I would heal quicker. Plus of the claw, I got the narrower part than you..."
Jordan grinned and said, "Yeah. That would make sense."
They grew silent for a moment. Jordan finally asked, "Can I see her? I never got a good look."
Kezi smiled. "Of course. You are her father." She brought the baby out from under the shawl so Jordan could see her.
Marnaya had dark little tufts of hair on top of her round head, black like Jordan's natural hair color. Her skin was a shade lighter than Jordan's. Marnaya basically was a female infant version of Jordan. The only difference was her eyes. They were the same shape and color as Kezi's; it looked as though it was perfectly copied into her face.
Jordan smiled a little at the baby. Kezi giggled and talked to Marnaya. "You look like Daddy."
"Except she has your eyes."
"Yeah..." Kezi looked up, alert. Jordan followed her gaze.
Hunta was in the doorway, waiting patiently to speak. "Avatar...Kezianna...we have not found the masked man. We do not know what race he was-"
"He was Nourasian." Kezi interjected. Hunta and Jordan just stared at her.
"How do know, Kezianna?" Hunta asked.
"I could tell. Certain words he spoke when he was breaking the seal. It reminded of words I'd heard Aikka say. Don't worry...It wasn't Aikka himself. I could tell that much."
"What else do you remember?"
"His eyes...were...violet...and just before he extracted the Wolf...they glowed...I couldn't even blink then. His skin appeared red though...to be honest, I was too busy with the seal..."
"Well, then. We'll have to warn your friends on Nourasia of this. I'll send a message."
Kezi couldn't help, but wonder if that was a good idea. Would they be in danger?
As if sensing her question, Hunta said, "I don't believe they would be in danger now. After all, Avatar did defeat-"
"I couldn't capture him. He's still out there."
"I'm certain...if he was a Nourasian...he won't be back for a while."
Jordan was about to be forced back to his room after a couple of hours; he protested that Kezi wasn't resting but, that was mainly because he was worried.
"She just gave birth, was attacked, and practically cut in two."
Kezi smirked and said, "I told you...I'm a lot more durable than I look. Besides Jordan...I'm still in bed. The only reason I don't feel my injuries is because they put me on a lot of pain meds."
"Not only that..." Hunta threw in. "But the Wolf's influence is still lingering in her system. He heals quickly. Since the Keeper hosts him and is his only hope of living, he has to take care of him or her."
They finally reached a compromise; Jordan would stay in the room as long as he tried to rest. He laid down next to Kezi as she was sitting up and tending to Marnaya. He was amazed that she seemed to know what to do. He finally sat up to ask her.
"How do you know what she wants?"
Kezi grinned and replied, "My mom had Korra when I was nine. Even though we only had Korra for three months, my mom taught me how to tend to a newborn. As for exactly what she needs...I guess it's...instinct."
"You never cease to amaze me."
"You should be sleeping. I know you're all wound up, but you need to heal."
"Kez...I can't sleep." He laid down and closed his eyes. "But fine. Whatever."
He felt Kezi's hand on his head. She gently stroked his short half-black half-orange hair. Then she started singing a soft lullaby to both him and Marnaya. He was honest when he said he couldn't sleep, but her singing started making him feel his fatigue.
The song was short and sweet; Jordan was almost out when it was over. Before he fell asleep, he slurred out, "You...cheater..." She gave a quiet laugh and Jordan fell asleep.
The Creators wanted to speak with the Avatar and assistant the next day. When they told the two what they were wanting them to do, Jordan and Kezi remained silent. The Creators allowed them to discuss the issue in private.
Why did the Creators not want Marnaya to know both her parents?
"I'll do it." Kezi said.
"No, Kez." Jordan argued. "I'll do it. Marnaya needs a mother..."
"Jordan..." Kezi began. "She'll still have a mother. She just won't know I gave birth to her. Children tend to forgive their mothers easier than fathers."
Jordan remained silent, knowing Kezi was talking from experience.
"I don't want Marnaya...to begrudge you...for not telling her who you are. Besides, she'd probably understand my reasoning better than yours. She may think you didn't want her. If I do this, I think it'll be easier for her to relate."
Jordan was still angry. "Why are they doing this?"
Kezi looked at him, understanding. "I know...but...remember when you took me to them when Darius stabbed me?"
Jordan flinched at the memory, but Kezi continued.
"They said, 'The child will have to prove herself'. Don't you see? It's part of her test to become your other assistant. She'll probably have to figure this out on her own."
Jordan tried hard not to lash out against her reasoning; but everything she had said sounded right.
"Fine." he said bitterly. "Who are you to her then?"
He could hear Kezi's pain when she said, "I'm simply a nurse to her. At least I won't miss seeing her grow up."
Jordan had to be grateful, if only for that; Kezi wasn't going anywhere.