A week later…
Prison of Frozen North…
She closed her eyes from the blinding white light reflected by snow as the guard opens the door of the truck. Extremely cold freezing wind embraces her as she stepped out of the truck reminding her of the home in South Pole. Korra is no stranger to the freezing weather. She slowly opens her eyes as she get use to the light and licks her lips to prevent them from drying out and bleeding. She's wearing a dark grey winter jacket with the hood down and she had her hair French braided. She stands before a castle like building made with dark black stone slabs and a massive metal door. Korra looks around with a difficulty to familiarize herself with the environment. Her vision is not yet recovered because of all the poison in her blood but she has gotten use to her blurry vision. Four guards got off from the truck and walked to her wearing their full armor. She looked at them and realized they are elite warriors from all nations. They represent Fire nation, Northern Water Tribe, Southern Water Tribe, and the Earth Kingdom respectively.
"We're missing the Air Nomads… if that's what you're looking for" said a female voice revealing herself taking off her armor's helmet. A girl with a dark hair and piercing eyes stand before her in earth kingdom armor.
"Name is Kuvira and I was sent here from my nation to make sure you get to Frozen North safely…" She said sarcastically. Korra kept quiet. "You can talk… If you like" Said Kuvira with a pause in the middle.
"Could you help me with the hood…?" Korra asked suddenly because her hands are cuffed and she can't pull the winter jacket's hood up.
"Oh I'm sorry…. I thought you are already used to these subzero temperatures, There you go…" said Kuvira in an annoying tone while pulling the hood over her head.
"Alright then…. Let's get the party started" said Kuvira softly clasping her hands together and leading the way. The other two guards held Korra from her biceps encouraging her to move. The large metal door opens slowly for them to enter. Korra along with guards and Kuvira entered the frozen north and then the door slowly closed behind them. Kuvira led the way through the corridor which takes them to another steel door guarded by three guards. Two of them are standing by the door and another one who looks like a Big Viking warrior with a long beard is sitting to a desk.
"WELCOME TO THE FROZEN NORTH, GENERAL AKBAR AT YOUR SERVICE" said the guard who was at the desk standing up and facing them.
"This is going to be your home sweet home from now on…" said Kuvira smiling at Korra sarcastically.
"As you are aware already general Akbar we have bought the prisoner number two for you" said Kuvira.
"Yes ma'am, I can see that. Please follow me and all the formalities are waiting next door" said General leading the way through the second metal door. He led through long dark empty hallway with many empty prison cells and stopped in front of a prison cell secured with steel bars. Korra felt the damp stench of the place as she passes by.
"DAMN… What is that smell…?" asked Kuvira rubbing her nose.
"Don't worry about it, it is caused by the lack of sunlight and condensation, you will get used to it after few breaths" said Akbar.
"Prisoner number two, Step out please…" said Akbar wanting Korra to face him. She quietly stepped out from the group and Akbar un-cuffed Korra after receiving the key from Kuvira.
"From today on wards we will refer to you as the prisoner number two. This will be your cell and food sources are scarce in this wasteland so you will be provided with only one meal per day depending on our supply. You can finish it with one go or save it for lunch and dinner. It is your choice. Here is an extra set of winter jackets and two extra sets of blankets because at nights temperatures will drop way below the lowest and use of fire inside the cell is strictly prohibited. Your dirty laundry has to be given to guards and can get laundered twice a week. You cannot call for us because no one is here, but we will visit you every day when we deliver the meals. One last thing as well… In Frozen North all bending abilities will be blocked by the special material that is used when it is built. ANY QUESTIONS…?" said Akbar in speaking out his drill.
"…Who is the prisoner number one?" Korra asked.
"That is none of your concern prisoner number two… Anything else?" asked Akbar again.
"What if I fall sick…?" asked Korra.
"This is a prison…, not a hospital. You fall a sick… you have to wait till we see you on the next visit… if you die before that, we will feed you to polar bear dogs in the wild" said Akbar.
"Don't be too harsh on the girl Akbar… Just let her go in to the cell and rest. We had a long journey. And Korra don't worry… he is not mean as he sounds or looks, Akbar is going to take a good care of you so…" said Kuvira breaking in and rushing things.
"Alright Prisoner number two… you may now enter the cell" said Akbar opening the cell door which is made of cold steel.
Korra stepped inside her cell and Akbar shuts the door tightly and locks it. Her vision is worse in the low light condition.
"What a pitiful ending for the so called avatar… Enjoy your stay… Maybe I'll see you in next life…" said Kuvira giggling loudly walking along with other guards leaving Korra in her cell. She kept starring at them as they disappeared in to the artificial darkness of the hallway leaving her all alone. Korra grabbed on to the metal bar of her cell deep in her thoughts. She can hear the metal doors shutting and locking as they left the place. She turned and walked inside the cell. She can see sunshine seeping in from the barred window on the wall.
Korra walks towards the bed in the corner of her cell and sits on it. She found two extra sets of dark blue pants and shirts to be worn underneath the winter garments. She took them in to her hands and found out that it is crispy clean and pressed. "This cell is very clean for a prison" she thought.
"I'm sorry… we don't have any other colors… so…" said a man's voice and Korra got startled.
"I'm sorry if I have startled you…" said the voice again and she turned at the door to see who it is. She kept on starring for a moment at the door until she's able to recognize who it is. It is General Akbar standing behind the door. He opens the lock and walks in.
"Forgive me for all the harshness, I had to get you through all the formalities just to show off to those representatives…" said Akbar smiling at the quiet mocha skinned girl who is sitting on the bed staring at him. "They are clean and tailored for your size, I will bring two more pairs later and when you want them laundered, just hand it over to me, I hope they are alright with you" said Akbar turning away to leave since she kept silent.
"… Thank you general Akbar, Did my father asked you to look after me?" Korra spoke up as he turned to walk away. Akbar was surprised and looked at her. She looked away with an emotionless facial expression.
He grabbed the small wooden stool and sits on it facing Korra. He combed his long beard deep in his thoughts.
"How did you guess….? Yes I am your father's old friend. I have known him since we were just wee lads playing in the snow and I have known you since the day you were born. On the first day I saw you as a wee baby suckling on your mother's breast I never thought I'd have to lock you up in my own prison. It burns to see my friend's wee lassie locked up in here. I believe people back in the city have grown to become heartless monsters after all…" said Akbar in a muffled tone.
"It was an easy guess…. Even though I am nearly blind, I still can feel and understand things" said Korra with a smile.
"Forgive me for my lack of knowledge about the outside world but tell me lassie…? What have you done so wrong to be in this cold god forsaken place….? All they have told me is you are extremely dangerous and shouldn't be taken lightly" asked Akbar eagerly.
Korra smiled. "It's a long story…. But for now don't worry about the cold, I was born and lived most of my life in the South Pole; I am use to the freezing temperatures. But it is very kind of you to provide me with the necessities" She said sincerely. Akbar smiled back.
"Take heed in my words lassie… this is no South Pole winter… this is the Northern Wasteland where harshest of all winters rules all around the year… be warned and be prepared" said Akbar with his deep tone.
"Just let me know if you want anything… I will try to provide it to my best extent. Just forget about what I said about the meals, it was just for the show. I will send your dinner along with one of my guards" adds Akbar standing up to go back.
"Thank you, General Akbar, please let my father know that I am alive and well so they will not worry too much" said Korra as he stands up. He smiled at her and walked outside the cell and closed the door. He paused while thinking about whether to lock the door or leave it unlocked because he felt terrible within him.
"You can lock the door General Akbar… even though I am your friend's daughter, Remember that I am still your dangerous prisoner" uttered Korra.
He locked the door and started to walk out of the hallway. "She's just a wee lassie… too young to be here. Back in the old days avatar use to imprison villains, now we have the avatar imprisoned in frozen north. I just don't understand which way the world is turning now…" Akbar muttered to himself angrily.
Korra lay back on her bed and sighed with a deep relief to know Akbar is a friend of her father. Memories of the time she spent with Asami flashed before her eyes. Few drops of tears rolled down from her eyes. "I told you…. My love… I told you that the dark times are coming… and you said it was just a dream… it was just a dream…" she whispered to herself as she slowly fell asleep with thoughts of Asami.
Later that day…
She woke up with a gasp and found herself under the sheets in her cell. She heard the wind is strong outside entering her cell through the barred window with an eerie hooting sound. She lifts her head up and saw that it's dark outside. Korra sits back on the bed and she felt the extreme cold temperatures which Akbar warned about. Her body has become numb and she's having a difficulty of breathing.
"Now I understand why they are sending prisoners here, they are sending them here for a slow suffocating death in this cold harsh never-ending winter". She puts her feet down from the bed and noticed that her prison cell is left open and a covered plate is left on the small wooden table which is her dinner.
"General Akbar…. You don't have to…." She said with a smirk.
She stood up from her bed and looked around a little with her degraded vision.
She slowly walked towards the metal door and pushed it.
"I was right, it wasn't locked" she said to herself while slowly walking out of the prison cell. The hallway is lit with strange glowing torches made with rocks emitting light. She sees the second metal door they came through at one end of the hallway and there is a corridor leading towards a staircase which leads to underground floors.
Korra felt curious and thought of exploring the place. She grabbed a torch from the wall and the light from the glowing rock mounted on the top of the torch improves her vision and walked further away from her cell passing all the other empty cells.
Korra slowly walked down the stair way with a glowing torch in her hand. She could hear the freezing wind blowing through the hall way making an eerie hooting sound again. The stairway led her to another long corridor with one metal door at the far end of it. Korra walked over to it and it was securely locked. She touched around the heavy metal door and found a large knob on the wall.
She pushed it with both of her hands and heard the door makes an unlocking sound.
Then she slowly walks in to a large room passing the door that she just opened. Korra shined the torch to see through the darkness of the room. A damp musky stench burned through her nostrils eventually making her cough.
"It is good to see you again AVATAR KORRA" a deep voice said in to the air as she walked further in to the dark room. She startled for the voice which called out for her name and shined the torch towards the direction.
The light slowly revealed a well build man hovering few feet above the ground in a meditative lotus position wearing rugged clothes. He is chained to the ground with large metal chains. Korra rubs her eyes wanting to have her vision cleared further to identify who it is because she felt an extreme familiarity.
"I see that you can't see me clearly… allow me to reveal myself to you" said the hovering man and with an instant he rushed towards her revealing his face. As he gotten closer in a split second she identified who it is.
Korra got so scared to see his face again she rushed to turn back and run but she couldn't do it, instead she fell on the ground.
He came so close to Korra in a flash and then got stopped by the chains which were holding him to the ground. Korra got so scared for his sudden reaction towards her she crawled back to the corner of the room panting in fear.
"ZAHEER…?" She said his name and he started to laugh loudly.
"Surprised…?" he said softly returning back to where he was and landing on his feet on to a standing position.
Korra felt herself numb not being able to stand back on her feet. She panicked in fear.
"Do you still fear me Avatar…?" asked Zaheer opening his eyes and looking at her struggling to stand back up on the ground. He kept quiet starring at her as she finally got back on her feet and started to run towards the door.
"WAIT….!" said Zaheer as she's about to run out of the door and Korra stopped and turned at him panting.
"Wait for what…? So you could kill me….? You MONSTER" She shouted in anger staring back at Zaheer who is standing in the middle of the room.
"That was in the past…. Korra, I have no desire to kill you anymore. You need not fear me. Think again before you call me a Monster… We are not that different anymore. I see that you are no longer the avatar as well, and I have nothing to be gained by killing you" said Zaheer.
Korra stopped at the door and turned back at him. "OH yeah…! Why should I trust you….? You poisoned me and tried to kill me, it took me weeks to get the poison out of my system. We are nothing alike, you are a monster and that is what you will always be… Goodbye Zaheer" she shouted and stepped out of the door. Zaheer stayed quietly in the room letting her decide whether to speak to him or not. Korra paused again behind the door.
"Oh Crap… What do I have to lose anyway…? Besides he's in chains" she said to herself giving a second thought and talk with Zaheer further. She slowly peeked inside his cell again shining her torch. She saw him silently standing still in the middle of the room. Korra takes a deep breath and walks inside the room slowly facing the most feared man of her life. She walked few steps toward him and stopped.
"I see that you have returned…. Young avatar" Zaheer said softly.
"What do you want from me Zaheer….?" She asked with an angered tone.
"Calm yourself down Avatar Korra…. I have seen all the unfortunate events you have been through for past few months from the moment you have entered this room" said Zaheer opening his eyes back starring at Korra.
"You did…? Well that's a surprise; I cannot recall anyone possessing such ability. You can't fool me Zaheer, I know who you are and what you are up to, so I am gonna go now and stop trying to stop me" said Korra with irony in her tone and turned back to leave.
"The one thing that they love more than a hero is to see a hero fall… " Zaheer said and Korra paused and slowly turned at him with her eyes full of tears.
"Fall so far and turn to dust…." Zaheer added.
"Weep all you want…. No one is going to weep with you… I assume that now you have experienced how the world works and how cruel it is. The world and its people you once loved so much and fought so hard to protect now defies you. You have already hit the rock bottom… Avatar Korra" said Zaheer looking at her with his evil eyes.
"Stop it…. Stop it… Please" She yelled crying out loud kneeling down on the ground as she realized Zaheer is speaking the truth when he said he saw what went on with her life. Zaheer went silent as she begged him to stop torturing her with his words.
"You have all the reasons to hate me to the very end Korra… But keep in mind that I am the only one who can help you right now…" said Zaheer looking at her.
"Go away… You monster… I hate you…" She screamed in grief and anger.
As she screams she woke up on her bed with a gasp. "ZAHEER…." She said breathing heavily and looking around. "It was just a dream…." She said rubbing her chest breathing heavily falling back on the bed.
As the days went by, Korra started to talk less and less with Akbar. Every time he came to visit her with food and clothing she was deep in her meditation. Sometimes he found out that she hasn't eaten for days. After a while she completely stopped talking or replying to anyone. Akbar has realized that it is all over. He couldn't watch her as she slowly degenerate in to a life of complete misery so he decided he will not visit her in person anymore. She has already forgotten what day it is, which month it is. She already knew there is nothing left to loose in this world for her. Korra has lost everything when she lost Asami and she has finally decided to give in to the oblivion.
Almost a year has passed taking Korra through endless freezing nights all alone in her prison cell. Even though she meditated she could not reconnect with past avatars or the spirit world instead she has learned how to make peace with her current state of life. She has learned to give in and accept the reality as it is. As the time went by her vision degraded to near blindness and her body grew weak as the poison that is in her system slowly began to work its way towards the vital organs. Her hair grew longer giving her better protection over endless freezing winter and the reality has shaped her in to a completely different person.
World has forgotten about the avatar. No one talks about her anymore; the new world does not need an avatar to keep the balance. Well at least for the time being, it is not in need of an avatar. Each and every one she loved and cared for is now working their way towards personal goals. Bolin and Varrick became successful with their new mover series. Mako has promoted to a higher rank working with Lin keeping the city safe. Tenzin and his family completely focused their energy on training the new air benders to the world. Tenzin manage to get Hiroshi on Parole after a discussion with authorities. He has taken the full responsibility of Hiroshi Sato.
Almost a year has passed…
Republic City Hospital…
"Sir, you may go in" said a nurse coming over to Hiroshi as he waits outside Asami's room.
"ermm nurse… has anyone come to visit her for the past couple of weeks…?" Hiroshi asked eagerly.
"Not really Mr. Sato, she hasn't had any visitors for months…" said the nurse rolling her eyes.
"Very well then, may I go in…?" asked Hiroshi.
"Yes you may sir, we have finished cleaning her up for the day…" said the nurse as she walks away. Hiroshi walked in to his daughter's room and as he saw her laying in a state of coma his heart grew heavy and began to cry. He walked over to her and held her hand.
"I am so sorry… I have destroyed everything that was good for my own selfish greediness" he cried as Asami stayed silent connected to the life support systems blinking around. He caresses her head and kissed her on the forehead. "I am so sorry Asami…" he cried. Hiroshi kept starring at his daughter for a while until he couldn't keep looking at her any longer so he walked out of her room quickly as possible. He walked towards the elevator and pressed the basement level.
As he kept waiting for the elevator to reach the floor he noticed a little peril near his daughter's room. Two doctors with nurses ran inside her room with a rush. Hiroshi got slightly puzzled by the sudden commotion so he quickly walked back to her room again and it was locked and the observation glass is blinded.
He stood there patiently waiting for someone to come out of the room. A doctor rushed outside from Asami's room.
"Doctor…. What's happening to my daughter…?" asked Hiroshi with tearful eyes. Doctor startled to see Hiroshi there and he smiled at him happily.
"It's a miracle Mr. Hiroshi, Ms. Asami has just gained her consciousness out of the blue…. We all were so afraid that we may have to pull the plug someday" Said the doctor. Hiroshi hugged the doctor.
"Thank you…. Thank you…. So much doctor…." He cried happily.
"Mr. Hiroshi, she's breathing normally now, wait outside and let the doctors finish their work. Then you can go in and talk to her" said Doctor patting Hiroshi on his shoulder with the good news. Hiroshi took off his spectacles and wiped them off from the tears sitting back at the chair outside eagerly waiting for the doctors to finish their work.
After few minutes nurses and doctors came out with happy smiley faces. "Mr. Hiroshi you can go in now… You are right on time." they told him.
Hiroshi rushed in to the room and saw Asami sitting up on her bed. She saw her father and smiled. Hiroshi overflowed with happiness that he thought his heart will burst in joy. He ran towards her with his arms wide open. He hugged her and held her to his heart as she hugs her father back.
"ASAMI… OH ASAMI…. I am so sorry my dear…. For everything I have done…. Thank you for opening my eyes…." He said crying with overwhelmed joy to hold his daughter back in his arms.
"Dad…. It's alright, I forgive you…. I am not angry with you…. Everyone makes mistakes…." She said hugging her father forgiving him for all his short comings.
Late night… at the Frozen North
Korra is sitting on the ground in lotus position deep in her meditation and she suddenly felt a piercing pain through her heart. She woke up from the meditation and rubbed her chest.
"Death…. I am totally at peace with you…. Come and embrace me for I am yours for taking…" She whispered to herself. She felt another piercing flash of pain running down on her spine and it made her cough with blood. She crawled back to her bed and covered herself in a blanket knowing that once she closes her eyes tonight, she will never wake up. She closed her eyes peacefully embracing the fact that she has to die all alone in this cold prison cell. Korra felt the shadows of death slowly embracing her making her feel cold and colder all over.
Few minutes went by she felt the presence of another person in her cell. She opened her eyes but she couldn't see anything clearly but she saw someone is standing next to her bed. She tried so hard to get a glimpse of who it is. A well-built man with longish hair and a beard stood before her bed.
"ZAHEER….?" She said in a weak tone.
"What are you waiting for….? Go ahead and finish me off, if that satisfy your hunger to kill me, I have no desire to live no more, I am already dying" said Korra. Zaheer kept silent and bend over to get a better look of her face. He reached her eye and pry open it with his fingers.
"Poison… You need to get it out of your system if you want to live… Avatar Korra" said Zaheer.
"….. It's over… let me die in peace… there is no way out of this place…" said Korra with an ignorant smirk and she coughed out blood.
"Yes… I understand. We all will die someday…. But today is not your day…. Avatar Korra…. I have meditated for almost a year gathering up the dark energy because I knew this day would come…. and I will have to break you out of this… If I let you die like this… everything I prepared for will go in vain" Zaheer said with his deep voice. Korra coughed more blood all over her bed and linen.
"We must make haste…. For you, the time is running out…." Zaheer uttered as Korra kept on coughing blood speechlessly. He quickly grabbed Korra in his arms and held her securely then stood in front of the barred window of her cell. He closed his eyes for a moment focusing all of the dark energy he gathered up in to his soul and a wave of energy came out of nowhere blasting the massive thick rocky wall open letting the freezing cold wind inside. "Let go of your earthly tether… and become wind…. Enter the void" he whispered and flew out of the Frozen North along with Korra in his arms.
Next day….
Frozen North
Guards have discovered that Korra no longer in her cell and the wall is broken. General Akbar was immediately summoned to the frozen north. He walked in to Korra's holding cell with a rush and saw the blood all over the place and the wall is completely blasted open.
"Did you check on the prisoner number one….?" He asked in a rush.
"Yes sir, he is not in there…. I believe he has broken out last night as well" said Guard.
"Stop staring at me like sheep-goats and send word to authorities immediately" Akbar shouted at the guards.
"Yes sir, Right away" said one guard running away.
"Oh my god, how am I going to explain this to Tonraq…? He will curse me for all eternity for letting Zaheer kill his daughter…" said Akbar holding on to his head as if he is going insane.
Meanwhile…
Republic City…
Asami was released from the hospital and Hiroshi is driving his daughter back home.
"Dad…. Why haven't you informed Korra….? I can't believe I have been in coma for almost more than a year…. I just can't remember what happened…. All I remember is Korra and myself were driving our way to Bolin's mover opening" Asami kept on talking and Hiroshi kept silent.
"I just came there to see you and then doctor told me the good news. Being there when you woke up was a coincident and I don't think hospital has informed anyone before I get to know it. Now don't think too much…. You have been in coma for too long and you need to rest now" said Hiroshi driving through the traffic.
"She'll be surprised to see me, I hope she was doing alright for all this time all alone in the beach house…" said Asami smiling at her own reflection from the windscreen.
"Dad….? Where are you taking me….? I want to go to my Beach house, I just can't wait to see Korra, I wonder how she will react to see me….? She's there in the beach house right?" asked Asami as she noticed Hiroshi is taking a different direction on roads.
"Ermm… er, Well Asami… Yeah, she was sad and er…. Mako wanted me to give you this…" said Hiroshi giving her a small wrapped parcel with intention of changing her topic.
"Mako….? Why would he want to give me something like this…?" she said un-wrapping the sealed parcel.
"He said he found it in your car when he went there…" said Hiroshi. Asami took out what was inside. It was the vanity mirror that she gave Korra on that night.
Asami's face grew dark with puzzling questions growing up in her mind.
"Why would he give this to me? This belongs to Korra, he should have given it to her straightaway" said Asami. Hiroshi kept quiet while driving as Asami kept thinking for a while.
"DAD….? TELL ME THE TRUTH….? WHERE IS KORRA….? IS SHE IN MY BEACH HOUSE…?" asked Asami with a worried tone.
"Erm… I am sorry…. Asami… it's a long story… and i…"Hiroshi stammered not knowing how it to his daughter. Asami reacted with a panic.
"Stop beating around the bush and tell me… Tell me now dad… WHERE IS KORRA…? IS SHE ALRIGHT…..? WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO LIE TO ME….? IN MY WHOLE LIFE ALL YOU DID WAS LIE TO ME….?" Shouts Asami Hysterically.
Hiroshi pulled the car over to the side of the road.
"Listen to me Asami…. While you were at coma so much has happened, I didn't want to let you in all of that right away because you just recovered… I didn't mean to lie to you but how do you expect me to put you through all this when doctors thoroughly told me not to get you worried or exhausted…?" said Hiroshi as Asami burst in to tears and starts to roll down on her cheeks.
"JUST ANSWER ONE QUESTION DAD…. WHERE IS KORRA….? THAT'S ALL I AM ASKING" She said very slowly in an angered tone.
"I DON'T KNOW, ALRIGHT? I WAS RELEASED FROM THE PRISON TWO DAYS BACK AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER" said Hiroshi wanting Asami to calm down.
"Take me to Tenzin…. Right now" Said Asami angrily.
"But… you just…"said Hiroshi wanting to interrupt.
"Dad… Please? Don't make me go crazy…. TURN AROUND AND DRIVE ME TO TENZIN'S AIR TEMPLE ISLAND RIGHT NOW…" Asami shouted angrily.
Somewhere in the Northern Wasteland
Zaheer lit up the firewood inside the cave and let the fire burn brighter warming up the whole place. He looked outside the cave and there is a blizzard storm going out there. He turned at Korra and she's sleeping on the ground covered in a blanket. He walked over to her and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She's shivering and burning from fever.
"There is no time… Poison is working on its way to her heart and brain" he thought to himself.
He laid his hand on her forehead and closed his eyes concentrating all the dark energy that is left in him on Korra. Then he slowly lowered her blanket, undo few buttons on her shirt revealing her chest. He quickly pressed few pressure points on her chest with tip of his fingers and then laid his thumb between her eyes.
Suddenly Korra started to get a violent seizure. She sits up involuntarily with a long gasp having her eyes wide open. Zaheer stepped back from her and concentrated with all his power on her body to extract the poison out of her. She suddenly vomits a large amount of blackish liquid along with the blood.
Korra gasped uncontrollably and Zaheer reached to help her to lay back after she vomits all the poison out of her system. He gently pressed in the center of her forehead.
"Easy now… Relax… You have been delivered from your suffering…." He said softly putting Korra to sleep pressing her pressure points on the forehead. She opened her eyes for a brief moment and he kept looking at her as the skin complexion returned to normal and her natural eye color returned. He closed her eyes with his hand gently wanting her to enter a deep healing sleep.
"Sleep well… Let all your fears subside and wash away…. You are safe now… Avatar Korra" said Zaheer hypnotizing Korra to an induced state of deep sleep where she will be kept in a beautiful dream until her body completely heals itself.
He pulled the thick blanket over her to protect her from the extreme cold after she falls asleep and sits besides her feeling exhausted. The ritual of extracting the poison out of Korra's body has taken a heavy toll on Zaheer draining all of the dark energy he gathered on to his soul during many months of meditation.
Even though he felt exhausted and all drained out… he still felt good because he served the purpose well.
He sat on a lotus position and began to meditate slowly regaining his energy.
Late evening
Tenzin's air Temple Island
Tenzin is sitting along with Pema having an evening tea after long hard day of training new air benders who kept coming to air temple seeking his guidance.
"Dad…. Someone's here to see you…" said Jinora rushing in to her parents.
"Who could that be… at this hour?" said Tenzin standing up with a doubt in his mind.
"Oh…. and Asami is with him…." She said running inside the house.
"Asami…. What?" said Tenzin in a surprised tone and quickly walked outside of his main entrance to the front porch.
He paused as he saw Asami sitting on the chair wearing a loose shirt top along with cotton pants with her hair down and her father Hiroshi next to her. He went speechlessly happy to see her recovered. Tenzin walked over to them smiling with his arms wide open.
"I have no words to express how happy I am to see you Asami…" he said as Asami slowly stood up with the help of her father and hugged him.
"It is so good to see you too Tenzin…. I am so glad…" she said closing her eyes hugging Tenzin. They stayed quietly for a moment and Tenzin helped her to sit back on the chair. He nods at Hiroshi afterwards with a happy smile.
"Tenzin… I am sorry to barge in like this but… you might already be aware of what happened to me…" said Asami directly entering to her question. Tenzin rubbed his forehead and took seat right in front of her.
"How could I not know about it….?" Said Tenzin with frustration and Hiroshi broke in to the conversation.
"I told her let's go home and rest… but she wouldn't listen, we were on our way home from the hospital… and…"
"Father…. Please let me speak with Tenzin… if it's not so much to ask?" said Asami wanting Hiroshi to stop.
"You could have just sent me a word…. I'd come over… you are in no condition to go around Asami…" said Tenzin. Asami grew impatient wanting to get her question answered.
"Tenzin…. Please just listen to me…. My father doesn't know anything…. That's why I came to you…. Tell me where Korra is…. I want to know where she is because she was with me when all this happened and before that she was living in my place along with me. You're the only person I could talk to right now… Tell me Tenzin, where is she….?" said Asami forcing Tenzin to speak up. Tenzin went speechless for a moment and he rubbed his beard thinking of where to start.
"TENZIN…. PLEASE…." Asami encouraged him to speak up.
"I…. I er…. I just don't know where to begin Asami… it's a long story… and you were out for almost more than a year…. Lot has happened since that day and…." Tenzin started to beat around the bush.
"TENZIN…. ALL I WANT TO KNOW IS WHERE KORRA IS….? NOTHING ELSE…." shouted Asami impatiently.
"She… er… SHE IS IN FROZEN NORTH….!" said Tenzin quickly because he has come to a point where he couldn't deny her request for truth.
"SHE….! SHE WHAT….?" Asami raised her voice with a sudden panic. She felt as if she's hyperventilating with the sudden shock because she's still weak. Asami held on to her head trying to grasp it with all her might. Hiroshi quickly held her helping her to bare the shock.
"ASAMI… Are you alright…?" asked Tenzin jumping up from his chair reaching towards Asami. She nods stating she's alright and she just needs few minutes.
"How… How…" Asami whined trying to speak up and she couldn't even cry.
"Calm down now child…. There is nothing we could do about it…" said Tenzin wanting her to stabilize. Pema came on running outside as she heard all the commotion.
"Pema…. Quickly go and get a glass of water…." Said Tenzin and she ran back inside and came with a glass of water and gave it to Asami. She drank it with one go and exhales returning the glass to Pema.
"Tenzin… Are you mad….? Why did you have to tell her all that all of a sudden…?" Pema asked Tenzin with a little angered Tone.
"I didn't want to…. She just forced me to do so…" said Tenzin.
In few minutes Asami stabilizes herself and took a deep breath. "How did she end up there….? Who sent her there….?" Asami asked immediately with tearful eyes.
"As I said…." Tenzin started to talk.
"Tenzin… Tell me what I need to hear…" said Asami.
"Asami…. How can I explain anything to you when you panic hysterically….? Think about your condition…. You are not yet fully recovered… we tried to do everything we could but we couldn't help her…." said Tenzin.
"This doesn't make any sense…. I remember most of it until the moment where we were attacked by those men…. And how the hell did she end up in Frozen North….?" said Asami uneasily.
"Alright Asami… I understand how you feel, and I will tell you everything from top to bottom but first you need to calm down…" said Tenzin. Asami nods confirming that she won't panic.
For three long hours Tenzin told the whole incident which happened while Asami was in coma. She felt the rush of blood to her head as she kept listening to the whole story so far. It terrified her within and saddens to the very core. Asami felt devastated to hear the love of her life is being imprisoned in the most unforgiving and harshest place in the world the frozen north. She's couldn't stop herself from crying and she felt as if her heart is about to burst out when Tenzin explain how they took her to Frozen North.
"….. And since then none of us have seen her…. No one is allowed to go to frozen north except the republic city police with proper clearance…. No one even knows where it is…." said Tenzin sadly.
Asami stayed quietly for a moment absorbing all the tugging sadness. She leaned back on the chair and rubbed her face with both of her hands.
"... GOD" She muttered softly looking up at the ceiling and thinking of what she should do now. She wiped her tears away as Tenzin, Hiroshi and Pema kept starring at her reactions quietly.
She took a deep breath and with a difficulty, she stood up on her own and walked unsteadily down the front porch holding on to the railing and out in to the garden puzzling everyone what she's going to do next. She kept on walking slowly on the paved pathway back to jetty quietly.
"ASAMI….! ASAMI…!" shouted Hiroshi getting off his chair and running outside and Tenzin followed him.
"ASAMI….! WHERE ARE YOU GOING….! TALK TO ME CHILD" said Tenzin.
Asami paused and turned to them. "…. To the Frozen North" said Asami with her eyes wide open as if she has gone insane.
"ARE YOU GOING INSANE….? NO ONE KNOWS WHERE IT IS….! THINK ABOUT IT GIRL…. YOU CAN'T DO THIS ON YOUR OWN…" said Hiroshi in a worried tone.
Asami smirk insanely and then smiled.
"I am not going insane my dear dad…. I am already "INSANE"" she said sarcastically then started to walk again on the paved pathway. Hiroshi forcibly stopped her.
"You are too weak… You need to give sometime and we'll figure out something… I'll help you to find her…" said Hiroshi wanting Asami calm down. Asami looked in to Hiroshi's eyes as tears rolled down on her cheek and then she turned and started to walk again quietly.
"Tenzin… We're leaving now…" said Hiroshi in a rush following his daughter.
"It's alright… Just don't do anything hasty by rushing in to things… Keep me updated Hiroshi… Call me once you get back home" said Tenzin letting them leave. Hiroshi ran towards Asami who is already walked half way.
After a while Asami and Hiroshi has reached the republic city by the speedboat. Hiroshi kept looking at Asami as she kept quiet deep in her thoughts looking out at the sea while coming back to the republic city. She has never spoken a word with her father. The way she reacted to fate of Korra has deeply puzzled Hiroshi.
Asami quietly took the front seat and Hiroshi started to drive the car from the jetty in to the main road. Hiroshi kept looking at her from time to time as she took tissues and wiped her eyes crying quietly focusing her grief inward.
"Asami….?" said Hiroshi while driving.
"Just drive me back to my beach house…. I just want to be alone…" said Asami sniveling.
"Worrying endlessly won't solve anything, it will only make your condition worse…" said Hiroshi softly.
"What am I supposed to do dad….? I just don't know what to do... alright? I am too weak to do anything right now and she's suffering in that hell hole at this very moment as we argue with each other" said Asami.
"I just don't know what to say… I never was good at this…" said Hiroshi.
Hiroshi drew her to the beach house as she requested without further ado. He didn't want to upset her more by forcibly taking her to his family mansion.
Asami got off the car and walked towards the entrance of the beach house as Hiroshi followed her. She walked in to the house and she's still sniveling hopelessly.
"Asami… Please you have to pull yourself together first… and…" as Hiroshi said she broke in to him in a slight temper.
"And then what….!? Dad….?" She walked closer to him starring in to his face.
"How do you feel like when your heart is been ripped out while it is still beating….? How do you feel like when you are being gutted alive…? How do you feel like when someone turns a knife inside of you while you struggle to breathe…? HOW DO YOU FEEL FATHER….? Just tell me….?" Shouts Asami in Mad fit as Hiroshi held her to calm her down.
"…. She… She is my heart… she's my life…. Dad…? Why can't you understand how I feel…? I love her…. I love Korra so much…. We were so in love…. And all this hell starts to break loose on us…. Just tell me how am I supposed to live without her….?" Said Asami as Hiroshi hugs her seeing things clearly now. She cried over his shoulder as Hiroshi held Asami comforting her patting her on the back.
"I understand now…. I am sorry… I didn't…. I really didn't know that you two were…. Lovers…" said Hiroshi softly.
"How could you know….? You never knew anything about me…! You never really cared… You were always blind at my feelings…" said Asami releasing him. Hiroshi felt bad to hear all those harsh words coming from his daughter all of a sudden but he thought that he deserve all of it.
"I just can't bear the thought that she's rotting herself in that frozen wasteland and I can't do anything about it…. Tenzin said she lost her bending; she couldn't reach avatar state either… that means she's powerless and vulnerable. Who knows what kind of vile things they'd be doing to her right now….? I just don't understand why anyone didn't try to save her…..? It has been a year already and no one has heard about her, who knows if they have killed her already….? Dad…! Someone wants avatar dead and I know that for certain… the world just pushed her towards her demise instead of helping her. Where was Mako…? Bolin…? Her parents…? They all just sit back and enjoyed the show until she was just thrown in the frozen north….? It seems like no one really cared….? It's all absurd. I feel so disgusted even to think about it…" said Asami uncontrollably. Hiroshi stayed quietly letting her speak her heart out.
"Dad….? I just need to be alone right now…" said Asami wanting Hiroshi to leave her in the beach house. Hiroshi has no other choice but to acknowledge her request for the moment.
"Alright then… I guess I have no other choice isn't it? Just promise me you take all this meds on time…" said Hiroshi giving her space she asked for. Asami walked over to the large glass sliding door in her beach house and rests her forehead on the glass starring at the sea. She heard her father's car starting up and leaving her as she requested.
"Why…. Why do they have to take you away from me….! You told me that the dark times are coming and I thought you were just dreaming….I am so sorry my love…. Please forgive me…." Asami cried out loud unbearably smashing her hands on the glass.
Few hours go by…
Asami couldn't find heart to do anything so she cried and cried all alone in her beach house. She is still too weak to do anything and crying and worrying made her so exhausted she fell asleep on her sofa. In her sleep she slowly drifted in to a dream…
"" Korra is playfully running through a garden of flowers teasing Asami to follow her…. She's giggling and wanting Asami to play along with her little game. Asami intentionally let her lead the way…. "Wait up love… I am just too tired to run along with you" said Asami.
Korra giggles, "If you catch me, I have a surprise for you…." said Korra winking at her. Then the wind blew heavily and Asami's face gets covered with her own hair along with the wind. She cleared her face from her hair and Korra is nowhere to be seen.
"Korra….?" Asami called out her name as she found herself in a snowy wasteland. She looked around and there is nothing but a snowy wasteland surrounds her. Then she sees some footprints on the snow and begins to follow them. As she walks along with the foot prints the prints began to get drenched in blood. Asami started to run along with the foot prints panting and being worried thinking if something bad has happened to Korra then she tripped over something and falls landing on her face on the snow. After a moment she lifts her head up and see's that she's in a prison cell. The whole place is surrounded by stone walls and lit with illuminated rocks mounted on a stick to serve as torches. Asami slowly stood up rubbing her forehead after falling down.
"Korra….? Baby….?" Asami calls out for her name and suddenly she saw some figure emerging from the distant darkness. She smiles as Korra slowly come to light from darkness and started to run towards her.
"Korra… I've been looking all over for you love, where have you been?" she asked as she run towards her. Suddenly things have started to change as she run towards her. Asami's face turned blue as she saw Korra is holding on to her lower chest and she's barely able to walk. Her clothes are all tattered and torn and her face is dirty… She lifts her head up and looks at Asami with bloodshot eyes.
Asami stops right in front of her in state of shock to see Korra like that.
"Baby… Look what they have done to me…" said Korra reaching out for Asami with her blood soaked hands as she's about to fall spitting blood out of mouth. Asami quickly grabs her in her arms with tearful eyes. As Asami held her in the arms she felt her back is all wet and mushy. Asami got terrified as her hands get all soaked in blood as she held Korra. She smiled at Asami reaching towards her face with her blood drenched hands and touches Asami's face staining it. Asami went speechless not knowing what to do.
"You are so beautiful as ever… all I want is…." Korra paused with her eyes half closed. Asami quickly checked the back of Korra to see what is wrong with her. She finds that Korra's back has been whipped to pulp and all the flesh and skin is torn exposing certain parts of her ribs and spinal cord from lacerations.
"OH NO! baby wh who… did this to you?... Let me take you to a hospital…" asked Asami bursting in to tears and holding Korra in her arms without letting her fall. Asami tried to put her arm around her shoulder and support her weight then walk her out of the place. Korra refused and forced her weight wanting Asami to lay her on the ground in her arms.
"NO… Korra, Baby… Please don't do this…" said Asami in a pleading tone wanting her not to give up.
"It's too late…. But I am so happy now that you are here with me…. So I could just die in your arms…. I love you Asami…" said Korra closing her eyes. Asami knew that she's at a point of no return. Her body is all broken beyond healing. ""
Asami started to gasp being terrified from the nightmare she just saw. She screamed and cried loud saying.
"NO! PLEASE DON"T GOOOOO!…."
"ASAMI…. ASAMI…. WAKE UP…. WAKE UP…. SNAP OUT OF IT, IT IS JUST A NIGHTMARE" she felt someone is shaking her to wake up to the reality.
She opened her eyes being terrified from her nightmare she immediately pushed the person who tried to wake her up. Asami breathes heavily having her eyes wide open starring at Mako.
"Asami…. It's me…. You were having a nightmare…." said Mako standing beside her. She found her face is all wet by crying while she was asleep. She sits back up on the sofa and Mako moved closer to her. She held on to her head leaning forward wanting to recover from the state of shock she is in right now.
"Asami…" said Mako slowly.
"How did you get inside….?" Asami suddenly asked Mako looking at him.
"I came here to see you soon as I heard that you have recovered and being discharged from the hospital, When I came in here I saw that your door was left open…." said Mako sitting in front of her on the other sofa.
"What do you want….?" She asked in a mean tone breaking in to Mako.
"Nothing…. I just came in to see you. I walked in to your house because the door was left open and I saw you screaming and shouting on the sofa…. You were dreaming…" said Mako.
"I wasn't a dream…. It was a vision… I felt it…" said Asami rubbing her face.
"I saw her dying in my arms… She was tortured in the prison, her entire back was whipped to a pulp and I could feel her bones through the lacerations…" said Asami in a very cold tone.
"Who are you talking about Asami….?" asked Mako which made Asami very angry.
"You know damn well who I am talking about…. Mocha skin, blue eyes, careless hair, stubborn as a wild ostrich-horse… Ring any bells…?" asked Asami patiently yet angrily and Mako looked down quietly feeling guilty deep within him.
"Need more hints for the riddle….? What if I say, the girl you all got together and sent to a slow painful suffering death….?" shouts Asami blasting in to rage.
"Calm down Asami…" said Mako looking down in shame.
"Calm down….? Calm down….? HOW THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSE TO CALM DOWN!?" shouts Asami standing up and walking towards her mini bar. She grabbed a bottle of spirits and uncorks it with her teeth and spits, then drinks it down a little straight from the bottle.
"We did everything we could to help her…. Nothing else could have been done. Korra is in frozen north because of the consequences of her own actions" said Mako trying to explain the reasons.
"Korra is in frozen north….? Mako how could you say it so easily… as if she's on a bloody vacation? You loved her once….? How come you wait and watched till they dragged her to Frozen North…? You could have saved her. If all of you have teamed up together, you could have done something. You know what I think you are?; You are such a selfish bastard that deserve to be burned in hell over and over again…. You are a sorry excuse for a man, Mako…. you disgust me…. You simply disgust me that I could puke…" Shouts Asami angrily.
"Just listen to me alright….? She's not dead Asami… She's there in Frozen North… and…." Said Mako and Asami breaks in angrily.
"All of you sent her to die in that frozen wasteland and now she's dead. You killed her; you all gave her a horrific painful death…. How come you say that she's not dead and doing well in frozen north…? I know what frozen north is Mako…" said Asami lowering her tone.
"There is nothing left for me to live for…. I just don't know why I had to wake up to this nightmare….? You all should have pulled the plug while I was in coma…. I might as well be dead than living like this…. How do I go on living thinking of what happened to Korra?" said Asami sniveling.
"Asami… stop this nonsense alright..? Korra is not dead. She's up there in frozen north and I…." said Mako and Asami breaks in again.
"And you can what….? Show me where she is…? Tell me where frozen north is….?, no one knows where it is…" said Asami.
"Yes… I know where it is and I can show you that she's there…" said Mako slowly.
"Then why are you sitting there like a bloody turtle duck….? Tell me where it is! Tell me how to find it… I will get her out myself…. Yes! I was in coma for more than a year but now I am alive and well, I can save her… Just tell me where she is MAKO" shouts Asami hysterically shaking Mako holding him with from his biceps.
"I will… But it's beyond my oath as a cop in republic city police…" said Mako. Asami rushed to him and he stood up as she comes.
"THEN TELL ME….! TO HELL WITH YOUR OATH! TELL ME WHERE TO FIND HER… MAKO PLEASE TELL ME BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE…." shouts Asami in a mad fit begging Mako as if she's gone insane.
Mako held her wanting her to calm down and she hugged him crying. He cuddles her closer comforting her and being a shoulder to cry on.
"Please…. save her… i… I can't go on living like this knowing that she's been tortured to death…." cried Asami. Mako gently pats her on the back.
"I will take you there myself…." said Mako with an emotional tone. A smile spark through Asami's weeping after Mako promised to take her to the Frozen North.
"Tell me the truth…" She said leaning away from him and he kept starring in to her eyes.
"I am sorry…. I could have saved her, I was such a narrow minded selfish person, I was so angry at her for getting you hurt…" said Mako looking down as his eyes turned red.
"You're such a bloody fool Mako… how could that innocent girl get me in to a coma huh?" asked Asami. Mako looked in to her eyes again.
"Alright… I admit it… I was jealous of her…. I was Jealous of you and I am sorry…. I wanted her, I wanted you… I wanted both of you but I knew it's not gonna happen" said Mako quickly.
Asami kept quiet for a moment staring at him.
"Yeah…. That's right… keep staring at me… I know I was wrong… do whatever you want to me…" said Mako in a slight temper.
"You can't have everything you want in this world….! That doesn't mean you have the right to destroy what you can't have…." said Asami angrily.
"I said I am sorry alright….? I am really sorry for what happened, If there is anything I could do to make it up to you… I will do it" said Mako.
"We are running out of time Mako… Take me to the Frozen North, I don't care what happens, I can't go there myself but you can because you're a cop. Just take me to see her once, that's all I ask and then I will take it from there. We can go in separate paths from there, I won't trouble you no more, that is the only way you can redeem yourself from all the wrong you have done" said Asami.
"How are we going to get there….?" asked Mako with a doubt in his tone.
"Leave that to me…. Take me to the Future Industries Hangar, I am too weak to ride a bike now, but you can ride it for me" said Asami with so much confidence in her voice.
"Why the future industries hangar….? Asami… don't tell me you are going to fly there on a plane… It's too far and dangerous to fly that far… Only way to get there is by sea on a ship…" said Mako.
"Just take me there and you will see for yourself…. Planes are not the only things that can fly…." said Asami.
Asami gathered all her strength together and decides to fly to North Pole tonight with Mako. She felt a relief when Mako offered to help her because she knows that he is a very powerful fire bender and could serve very resourceful in times like this. She wanted to forgive Mako for his stupidity and narrow thinking. She knows that love can breed jealousy and jealousy can easily blind the rightful thinking.
She got back in to her usual clothes, Riding boots, leather pants, black top and brown riding jacket then she rode along with Mako on the back of his motorcycle to Future Industries flight hangar.
Future Industries flight Hangar
Mako lowered the speed of his motorcycle as they reached future industries flight hangar and stopped it. With little preparation and weak health she decided to fly all the way to North Pole with Mako in this stormy weather.
She led the way in to the hangar and as they stepped in to the hangar it lit up automatically revealing a fully armed helicopter.
"What in the world is that thing…?" asked Mako starring at the machine.
"This is called "THE DRAGONFLY". My father built it sometime back and kept it as a secret project to be revealed in future as my own invention. This is built for military use with heavy artillery enough to take down almost anything on earth and this can fly you anywhere you wish even to great distances and can stand still in air unlike air planes we have…." said Asami opening the door to cockpit.
"Amazing…. How many of these things are there…?" asked Mako getting on to the helicopter and taking seat next to Asami as she configured the machine for a startup.
"Only one… I am the one who supposed to make copies of this showing it to the world as if it's my own invention" said Asami firing the engine as the fans started to spin slowly.
"Your father is a genius…." said Mako putting on the hearing protection headset.
"I rather call him a "EVIL GENIUS"" said Asami with a smile as the roof of the hangar opens above and the helicopter lifts off in to the air and in to the stormy weather.
Asami and Mako flew the helicopter in to the raging storm of republic city. They flew over hours and hours constantly towards the North Pole. She sees that Mako has already fallen sleep on his seat and she feels her heart is struggling to keep up with her brains demand. It is impossible for her to fly that far and long through the storm with her current condition but she wouldn't give in to her health because she loved Korra more than she loves herself.
Sixteen long hours have passed….
Mako woke up and found himself sleeping on the co-pilot seat wearing the hearing protection headset. He rubbed his eyes and turned at Asami who is busy flying the helicopter at its full speed. She is pushing the machine to its limit…
"It's almost dawn…. How long have you been flying this thing so far…?" asked Mako.
Asami looked at him and smiled.
"Almost seventeen hours and I am flying according to your co-ordinates" said Asami.
"I see that we are already out of the storm, Sun will rise at any minute and if my co-ordinates were correct the Frozen North should be on our horizon by now" said Mako.
"You mean you weren't sure about the co-ordinates you gave me?" asked Asami raising her eye brows.
"It's not that they are incorrect, it's just that I never been to frozen north by myself and these were just stolen information from the office" said Mako with a grin.
"You know what Mako? You are hopeless and you better be correct on the co-ordinates you gave me or…" said Asami in an annoyed tone.
"OR what..?" asked Mako.
"Or… we both going to end up in the northern wasteland and nobody knows that we came here as well" said Asami.
"Don't tell me you came on some kind of suicide mission on a prototype air craft, Asami….?" Said Mako scratching his head and Asami smiled at him.
"I am not saying it's a suicide mission but Dragonfly has never flown this far at these speeds before. This has not been pushed to its limits during its test trials but so far everything is perfectly nominal" said Asami.
"Well… I hope you know what you are doing with this thing…." said Mako with a fear in his tone.
"I'd go to hell and back just to have her in my arms again…" said Asami.
"Why do I always forget that you and Korra are lovers…?" said Mako slapping on his forehead.
"Because you don't want to remember… that's why Mako… it's time you stop being selfish" said Asami.
The sun started to shine from the horizon of northern wasteland as they flew further in to it. Asami impatiently looked over the frozen landscape from the cockpit of the helicopter hoping that Frozen North will be in visible distance any minute. Suddenly she started seeing a massive castle like building in the horizon. Asami smiled with a relief.
"That's it… I told you the co-ordinates were correct" said Mako in a happy confident tone.
They flew over to the Frozen North and landed few yards away from the main entrance. Mako and Asami got off the helicopter in their winter jackets with wool collars.
"Good god, this is freezing…" said Mako rubbing his palms together before putting on the gloves.
Asami felt the extreme subzero temperatures of the place and her face turned dark thinking of Korra is being imprisoned in this place for more than a year.
"Why do they have to send her here…." said Asami softly as she walked towards the main entrance.
"It was the only thing that could be done, I know it's horrifying to put her up here but people were rioting, nobody accepted her. Not even the southern water tribe, they all feared her. This was the only place that they could keep her" said Mako in a down tone.
"I won't take that as an excuse from you Mako, world can say whatever it wants but you could have done something and you know it…." said Asami pressing the button near the large metal gate.
Someone opened a small hatch on the door with a blink of an eye.
"Who is this….? No one is authorized to enter Frozen North, Please state your identity" said a strong voice.
"I am Asami Sato… and…" as Asami said Mako Breaks in.
"Mako…. Right hands man of Lin Beifong the chief of republic city police. I have clearance to visit Avatar Korra in Frozen North" said Mako showing a small piece of paper along with his police badge.
"Very well, please hand me over the clearance paper" said the voice and Mako put the rolled paper through the small hatch.
Asami looked at him and smiled for his timely thinking, he was already prepared for this.
In few seconds they heard the door unlocking and slowly began to open.
"Now I believe you got some tricks up your sleeve as well Mako, Thank you" said Asami smiling at him.
Mako and Asami walked through the door and they saw a tall man with a beard coming at them.
"I'm General Akbar… I know you are here to visit Avatar Korra for interrogation but…" said Akbar.
"Take us to her cell General Akbar, we need to talk to her right now and this is an emergency" said Mako breaking in as Akbar tried to explain what happened. So he decided to take them to her cell first. Akbar walked Mako and Asami through the prison and stopped at Korra's holding cell. He opens the door and a cell with a large hole in the wall opened up and a gust of freezing wind came at them chilling them down to the bone. Asami and Mako looked at Akbar as he looked down speechless.
"Could you explain what this is all about General Akbar…? I am here by the order of Lin Beinfong" said Mako.
"Let me explain…" said Akbar wanting them to calm down as Mako acted as he is here by the order of republic city police.
"I already sent the news back to republic city as well… I believe it has already reached there and you were not yet informed about it" said Akbar looking down.
"Just tell us, where is Korra…?" said Asami keenly.
"I… I really don't know where she is..." said Akbar stammering with his words.
"She was a prisoner under your custody… how dare you say you don't know. Do you know how dangerous she is….? You have some answering to do right now General Akbar" said Mako in a strong tone.
"Please Akbar, tell me…" said Asami laying her hand on Akbar's shoulder as the tears rolled down her eyes. Akbar noticed her reaction towards the news is rather different than a person who would interrogate a prisoner.
"I'm sorry… I think…" said Akbar and paused. "I think… she's been killed by Zaheer" said Akbar adding up.
"What the…." Said Mako as Asami gasped leaning against the wall.
"How could you be so careless General Akbar…? Report this to republic city authorities immediately" shouted Mako.
"I have done it already…. He was in chains all this time, I do not understand how he broke the chains and escaped his cell, Avatar has taken away his bending long time ago" said General Akbar. As they talk with each other Asami walked in to Korra's holding cell quietly. She is shocked to hear that Zaheer was also held captive in the Frozen North as well. She knew that Zaheer was Korra's sworn enemy who nearly succeeded in killing her once. She slowly walked up to her bed stained with blood all over. Asami kneeled next to the bed bursting in to tears and she touched the stains as tears rolled down on her cheek.
"I am so sorry my love… I have failed…." She said and cried.
Mako saw her and walked towards her and he lays his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry Asami…." Said Mako as Akbar kept on starring at them.
Asami kept on crying without being able to control herself.
After few minutes, Asami and Mako walked out of the frozen north and the massive door closed behind them. Asami kept on starring at the same direction as if she just saw a ghost. Mako looked at her.
"I am so sorry… Korra" she said while closing her eyes having her hands clasped together in front of her chest and sniveling.
Mako felt terrible to see Asami in such a state so he kept quiet letting her weep all she want. He felt even worse to think that Korra is being killed by her sworn enemy. Even though he didn't show it… He loved her once and he still has feelings for her within him… He tried to hold himself from breaking down with despair.
Asami felt as if she's fainting as they walked closer to the helicopter because she couldn't bear the thought of losing Korra any longer. Mako grabbed her quickly.
"Asami… Are you alright…? Asami…?" he kept asking and she kept staring at him as if she's losing control and awareness of the reality.
"You need to rest Asami, you're in no condition to fly back to republic city" said Mako taking her up in his arms.
He took her in his arms and carried her back to the Frozen North.
After a while…
Asami opened her eyes and saw Mako sitting beside her. She found herself on a bed with a thick blanket covering her and the room is well lit. Mako smiled at her.
"What… what happened?" she asked rubbing her eyes sitting up on the bed.
"You have fainted… how are you feeling now…?" asked Mako giving her warm cup of tea.
Asami rubbed her head, putting her feet down and taking the warm cup of tea in her hands. General Akbar walks in as well.
"The blizzard storm has already started outside. So you two better stay up here all warmed up and leave at break of a dawn tomorrow. You might be hungry now… let me get you something to eat" said Akbar turning to walk out of the cabin.
"I am not hungry…" said Asami.
"You have to eat something Asami, you have already grown weak. Don't worry, we are in the Frozen North quarters, General Akbar is a friend of Tonraq. He told me everything after I explained him who we are" said Mako.
"I thought you were government officials because the clearance papers said you are in for an interrogation of Avatar Korra. Then Mako told me that you were friends of Avatar and all that…., I didn't think twice to believe him. Because I remember the way you reacted back in Korra's cell, it was convincing enough" said Akbar as Asami kept on staring at him.
"You see Asami… it's not that bad as you thought. She was not tortured or anything, General Akbar has taken good care of her" said Mako with a smiley face wanting to bring some comforting thoughts to Asami.
"You mean… she wasn't harmed…?" asked Asami with a doubt in her tone.
"Absolutely not, how could I do anything bad to her when her father is one of my old friends. However I must let you know that, something was wrong with her. First two months she came here, she was normal but weak. But later onwards she stopped talking with me, she didn't talk with anyone and nearly stopped eating as well. Every time I came to see her, she was always meditating. Avatar Korra was nearly blind and I didn't know how that happened. However she answered one of my questions. When I asked her why is she meditating all the time? She replied that it is to relieve her from all the grief and pain" said Akbar.
Asami took a deep breath showing a sign of relief to hear that she wasn't tortured or harmed in Frozen North however she knows that Korra has suffered during her stay here due to harsh winter.
"I didn't want to tell you this first because I thought you are from the authorities but since Mako has revealed your selves as her friends I have no fear in telling you what's in my mind…" said Akbar rubbing his beard.
"You can go ahead and tell us everything Akbar" said Mako.
Asami looked up to him eagerly wanting him to speak up about everything he knows. Akbar stayed quiet for a moment deep in his thoughts.
"Even though I liked to spread the word as Zaheer has killed the avatar, I don't think it really happened. I spoke with Zaheer myself for many times, I don't think he would kill the Avatar right away, At least not in her current condition. He is a very dangerous man but he is not a psycho who is hell bent on killing the avatar, He has his own reasons" said Akbar grabbing a wooden chair to sit. Mako kept silent thinking deep in his thoughts. Asami rubbed her forehead again wanting to think that Korra is out of the harm's way at the moment.
"I am sorry if I scared you with all the bad news but that's how I wanted the news to spread around. I already taken few photographs and sent words to authorities along with it. Avatar is been killed by Zaheer and even if they question me about her body; I can always say he took her with him because he is labeled as a psycho maniac who is hell bent on torturing her to death. I just wanted it to show as Avatar is killed by her sworn enemy "Zaheer" and this vicious world will leave her alone…." said Akbar.
Asami slowly stood up while listening to Akbar and walked over to the corner of the room deep in her thought. Mako looked up at her while listening to Akbar. He kept looking at her carefully following her body language and gestures. Asami and Mako both kept quiet for a moment.
"…. I felt really bad to see that lassie weathered away in this god forsaken place" Akbar kept on talking and suddenly he felt as if a sharp metal wire wrapped around his neck from behind and a strong force up against his back. Asami walked behind him and she already have a sharp metal wire around his neck with an blink of an eye and her knee against his back forcing him against the chair.
"One hard pull and I can serve your head on a platter for dinner tonight…." whispered Asami behind his ear. Mako stood up slowly pulling a dagger out of his boot and casting fire on it.
"What the hell is this….? Who are you people…?" said Akbar in a frustrated tone not being able to move a single inch.
"Hush now Akbar… now we will ask you the questions and your life depends solely on the answers you give us… so I advise you to speak the truth and truth only" said Asami in an evil tone.
"You heard the lady, answer her if you want to leave this room with your head still attached to the body, don't say I didn't warn you though" said Mako with a sarcastic smile sitting in front of him.
"Alright…. Alright… just calm down alright?" said Akbar being feared of losing his life.
"Tell me from the beginning, what was her condition when she came here, was she being tortured? Or Hurt?" asked Asami.
"I told you already, she wasn't, she was in good condition but her vision was severely impaired and I swear the god I don't know how that happened. She was admitted here by some officials who represented all the governing nations. Before she was bought here, Tonraq contacted me and he told me everything. I treated her at my best, with food and clothing. That's all I could do but as the time went by she stopped talking and even eating as well, I couldn't understand what was wrong with her. Korra was falling in to a state of misery" said Akbar.
"What has really happen to Korra….?" asked Asami.
"I told you what really happened here, Zaheer got off from his cell and took her with him. I don't know how he just broke that wall and all that" said Akbar.
Asami knew that he was hiding something so she pulled the wire around his neck little harder making him bleed.
"The truth general Akbar… don't take me for an idiot. I know that no one can escape frozen north… at least not without some help from inside…. I have resorted to violence because I felt that you are hiding something from us since the beginning" said Asami.
"Alright…. Alright… OK" shouts Akbar in pain and coughing.
Mako looked up at Asami wanting her to calm down because he knows that Asami is at the verge of losing control over herself.
"Akbar… you better speak up because time is ticking and I guarantee you that she is not making any empty threats" said Mako wanting Akbar to speak up.
"Alright…. I am the one who set Zaheer free…. I set him free because I wanted this to end but before I released him he promised that no harm will come to avatar from him, he has no desire to kill her anymore but I know it's a chance I can't take because he's her sworn enemy. But I couldn't watch her suffer anymore; I wanted it to end one way or another. I thought by releasing Zaheer he would take her away as he promised but it I know that it could have ended up differently, he could just finish her off and escape the prison. I wanted it to end in a good way or whatever the way that Zaheer choses so she will be delivered from her pain and suffering" shouts Akbar in Agony.
"Damn you Akbar…. You put the life of Korra in the hands of her enemy just because you wanted to relieve yourself…." shouts Asami releasing him from the grapple and pushing him. Akbar fell off the chair holding on to his neck and coughing. Asami pulled a magnum revolver out of her boot and aims at Akbar who is on the ground.
"You wouldn't be saying that living is better than dying…. If you have seen her with your own eyes and what she has become over time…." shouts Akbar coughing out after being choked by the wire.
"ASAMI…. NO!" shouts Mako wanting her to halt.
"Killing him won't do any good, I think he is telling the truth, from his point of view there is nothing else could be done. The only way he could end her suffering is to take that risk and release Zaheer, if he has chosen to ended her life…. Then at least she has freed herself from suffering…" said Mako slowly walking over to Asami and taking the revolver from her hand. Asami burst in to tears as Mako held her closer.
"I had no other choice…. If I had informed the authorities about her deteriorating condition I feared that they would take her away from here so things could have been worse for her in a different place other than in my custody. I am a man who always believed that death is peaceful than a life of suffering. I am sorry that my choice has come to this but that's the best I could do from my end… I wanted to ease her suffering so I had to take my chances and believe in Zaheer's words, hoping that he wouldn't harm her instead take her away from this god forsaken place as he promised…. And I think he has done as he promised…." said Akbar standing back up.
"How can you be so sure about him…?" asked Asami.
"Zaheer is a villain who tried to kill the avatar once because he believed that being the avatar and being able to bend all four elements is an unfair advantage which violates the laws of equality. He always believed in equality, He wasn't killing people for pleasure… he has no reason to kill Korra now because she was not the avatar anymore, She was permanently powerless" said Akbar.
Akbar explained everything inside out to Asami and Mako. He accepted Asami's apology for resorting to violence and threatening to kill him. In the end it was all clear to them that all three of them are trying to help Korra and all of them are on one side.
The very next day at break of dawn Asami and Mako left the Frozen North back to republic city on the helicopter. Akbar has told them everything he knows and promised to keep their arrival to frozen north as a secret. Asami however felt relieved that she's not in the frozen north anymore and according to Akbar she couldn't be dead either but it gives her shivers to think that "Korra's" life now lay at the hands of her sworn enemy "Zaheer" and what he may do with her is completely up to him. Asami left the frozen wasteland boundaries hell-bent on finding Korra no matter what it takes or how long it takes.
"No matter where you are… I will find you…. My love…" She thought to herself as she flew the helicopter along with Mako to the glowing horizon towards the republic city.
Asami, Mako and General Akbar now know the truth about what really happened to Korra, but for the rest of the world it is a different story. But somehow General's risky plan has pushed Korra away from the world's attention.
Soon as the words reached authorities, the newspapers came out with a one thick black headline.
"Avatar Korra is been killed in the Frozen North by her sworn enemy Zaheer".