Chapter 17

I stumbled backwards, ramming into some brick wall. Frost curled the fallen leaves at my feet, while sparkling white spires of earth rose slowly. Gales of wind blew around me, kicking up growing frost. I focused myself, the wind immediately ceasing. The earth spikes sank into the ground. The ice slowly faded into nothing.

"How?" I muttered to myself. My body moved before I thought it. I ran, sprinted away from the City Hall, my eyes heating with confused tears. How could this happen? Did Vaatu take me over while I slept and made me a vessel of evil? Did I cause this? How could I do this? To my city?

I stopped when I found a newspaper box. I forced it open with metalbending, the metal crunching and folding, while I shoved a hand in, taking out a newspaper. I unfolded it.

In big block letters, the newspaper asked Where is the Avatar? The coloured picture was of a glowing red Republic City. So it wasn't a dream. I had really seen the city like that. Tendrils of dark spirits were wrapping around buildings, people, things. A police blimp was in the Bay, spewing fire and black smoke. I could hear the screams again and that bloodthirsty laughter that sounded like me. How could I do this to people? This scale of destruction was unimaginable.

And above the bloody city was a dark figure, floating. The image was too grainy, the distance too far to distinguish what or who was that dark figure.

I was about to throw away the paper when something else caught my eye. Also showing on the front page was a breaking news story.

Dark Avatar reigns in the Nations Capital. Neo Equalists and Dark Spirits at large.

Was Vaatu slumbering inside me right now? He had sated his thirst for chaos last night for now. But soon enough, he would want more.

And what about Raava? Was she completely gone?

I ran back home and started to ready myself. I packed the metal cables along with the sleeves and back holder. I changed my jacket for one with a hood, so I could hide my features in its depth. Once ready, I started out when the doorbell rang. One of my whips slithered to the ground with a high metal clattering. I grabbed the doorknob firmly and slowly opened the door.

Two chi blockers were there, in full gear.

"Miss, there is a mandatory city gathering at City Hall. Our leader wants to deliver a message," one of them said, their voice muffled by their mask. I nodded in compliance and locked the door when I stepped outside. I eyed them warily. But they didn't stick around. They jumped on their motorcycles and roared off.

I walked as fast as I could to City Hall, following the mass of citizens heading wearily there. Whatever happened that night must have been terrifying. For even the benders were scared. Couldn't they fight back? And with the technology we have now, what about the non-benders? Was everyone just helpless?

A giant screen was held up before the City Hall, blocking it from view. I reached for Selene with my mind. She allowed me into her mind, letting me see through her eyes. She wasn't in the Bay like I expected. She was hovering over Republic City, letting the updrafts carry her. The sector of the city where I was, was spared from the wrath of the Dark Avatar. The rest, not so much. Some buildings were completely rubble, smoke still slithering into the air.

Giant white screens were scattered across the city. The entire world was watching.

I dropped back into my own mind, blinking away Selene. I lost the feeling of wings and winds carrying me, feeling the weight of gravity hold me in its impossible grasp. I looked up to the giant screen, now flickering with life. It burst into vibrant colour. I wonder who had enough money to fund these colour screens. They were fairly new and only the very rich had them.

On the screen was the figure in black, a hood artfully draped on their head. The same black mask I saw the Neo Lieutenant wear was on this person's face, except it had the dark red markings of Vaatu on it. The Dark Avatar. Was this a recording of myself after destroying the city?

"Citizens of Republic City. Your corrupt President, who never cared once about this great city, has been eliminated. I will never let the city fall into disrepair like he did. Of course, I did have to attack so the city could be reborn into the great thing it is today! Now, rules are changing. Now, we will establish a new government, with the re-introduced City Council along with me, the Dark Avatar. You shall all know me as the Avatar Queen. Now, any rebellion or resistance will not be tolerated. Any signs of participation or knowledge of resistance movements will result in immediate execution."

The entire crowd was quiet.

"I require one thing before we start this wonderful era together. I demand the presence of the Light Avatar, my other half, to come to City Hall at sunset. If not, I shall slowly destroy each part of the city until nothing is left. You have only a few hours to find her. Now, to my dear other Avatar."

Those eyes seemed to pierce me with their utter evil and darkness. I squinted at the eye holes, wanting to see the eye colour. All I saw was the orange-red glow of the Dark Avatar State, which melted in the normal blue-white of the Light State. Then it faded. I squinted more. I stopped breathing when I finally realized what colour they were.

They weren't my dark brown eyes. They were the colour of moonlight, silver.

Yena.

Yena was the Dark Avatar.